With the three major political parties like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress yet to announce their candidates for all seats, ticket aspirants are waiting with bated breath.
For the last few days, many ticket aspirants have been camping in Bhubaneswar. It is said that the apprehension of the mathematics going against them in their absence has forced them to camp in headquarters.
Of these ticket aspirants camping in Bhubaneswar, most are of the BJD.
It seems time is hanging heavy for Bari MLA Sunanda Das who is waiting for her name to be announced as a candidate for the Bari seat again. She along with her husband and some supporters has been staying in her Bhubaneswar government quarters. Yesterday, sarpanchs and samiti members of her Assembly constituency came out in support of her and lobbied for her in a press meet.
“Whoever may be in the fray, we will win with a margin of 25,000 to 30,000 votes,” said Debendra Das, husband of Sunanda.
Former Telkoi MLA Bedabyasa Nayak is hopeful of getting a ticket as the sitting Telkoi MLA, Premananda Nayak has already left the party.
He has been in Bhubaneswar for the last few days.
Bedabyasa Nayak said, “There are many aspirants. But the party will pick one who has worked hard.”
Similarly, BJD's Sambit Routray (Paradip), Bhupinder Singh (Narla) and BJP’s Saraskana MLA Budhan Murmu are also camping in Bhubaneswar for tickets.
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“I am anxious to hear my name. I will go to my constituency only after the announcement of my name,” said Murmu.
Meanwhile, the fielding of turncoats and speculations of fielding more of them have left the BJD ticket aspirants and their supporters irked.
“Suppose Raghunath Sahu is not nominated for Chilika. We cannot make the voters understand because the name of Raghunath Sahu is already imprinted in their minds,” said Hullas Behera, the sarpanch of Hatabaradi.
After being denied a ticket for Salipur, Himanshu Mohanty has become a vocal critic of the BJD.
“I have decided to snap ties with the party as it has left my supporters heartbroken,” said Mohanty.
However, the BJD said the rebels can in no way affect the party’s performance in the elections.
“No matter how much revolt is there, nothing can deter the party from winning because Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has worked for the people,” said BJD MLA Mahidhar Rana.