Odisha polls : Parties yet to name candidates for remaining seats

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Mar 23:

With only four days left for filing of nominations for the second phase elections in Odisha scheduled on April 17, all three major political parties including the ruling Biju Janata Dal are still undecided on the candidates for a number of Lok Sabha and Assembly seats.

While the BJD has declared candidates for all the 21 Lok Sabha seats it is yet to finalise names for as many as 17 Assembly seats.

These 17 Assembly seats are Basta, Remuna, Soro, Niali, Bhubaneswar (North), Jatni, Khordha, Kendrapara, Rajnagar, Patkura, Morada, Rairangpur, Champua, Keonjhar, Anandpur, Telkoi and Dhamnagar.

The Congress, on the other hand, is yet to decide on candidates for the Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat and 25 Assembly seats.

The 25 Assembly seats are, Telkoi, Keonjhar, Champua, Badasahi, Baleswar, Nilagiri, Bari, Badachana, Dharmasala, Korei, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Badamba, Mahanga, Patkura, Mahakalapada, Paradip, Tirtol, Kakatpur, Puri, Jayadev, Bhubaneswar (Central), Bhubaneswar (North), Ekamra-Bhubaneswar and Ranpur.

The BJP has not yet finalized its candidates for 6 Lok Sabha and 42 Assembly seats so far.

The six Lok Sabha seats are Cuttack, Bhubanewar, Puri, Kendrapara, Jajpur and Bhadrak.

However, the saffron party is most likely to announce the names of its candidates for the remaining 42 Assembly seats today, sources in the party said.