Odisha: Candidates for the Rajnagar Assembly seat are rebelling against the BJP

Disappointed ticket seekers in Rajnagar have taken to the streets, raising a flag of rebellion against the party’s official candidate, Lalit Behera, for the Assembly seat. This is causing dissidence for the BJP.

On Thursday, the Lalit effigy was set ablaze in Rajnagar market by the followers of former MLA Alekha Jena and senior party leader Ajay Behera. expressing a deep dislike for the party’s selection.

“On the part of BJP to give a ticket to a political greenhorn by ignoring grassroots leaders is improper,” Ajay said. For more than 20 years, we put a lot of effort into helping the BJP grow in Rajnagar, but the party disregarded us.

In addition, a few local BJP officials threatened to leave the party in the event that Rajnagar’s candidate was not altered. If the party officials’ uprising is not put down, political watchers said, it might hurt the BJP’s chances in Rajnagar, where elections are scheduled for June 1.

Though the deadline for submitting nomination papers is only a few weeks away, none of the three parties—the BJD, BJP, and Congress—have yet to declare their candidates for the Kendrapara Assembly seat.

Amidst rumors that parachute leader Ganeswar Behera would get the party ticket, the BJD has announced candidates for all of the district’s Assembly seats, with the exception of Kendrapara. A top BJD official said that Ganeswar, who left the Congress to join the BJD in order to get the governing party’s ticket for the Kendrapara seat, is to blame for the delay. Though local party officials have threatened to stage a mutiny if Ganeswar is chosen for the SC seat, the BJD is considering fielding the former minister as their candidate.

Former MLA Sipra Mallick left the governing party on Thursday, not knowing whether she would run for office from Kendrapara, and joined the Congress. On a BJD ticket, Sipra was elected in 2009 to the Kendrapara Assembly seat. Prahlad Mallick, her father, was a longtime member of Congress and a state minister.

Conversely, the BJP is waiting it out and closely observing the actions of traitorous leaders. It is expected that after the other two parties reveal their choices, it would announce its candidate from Kendrapara.