Soon after the BJD announced candidates for six more assembly seats on Monday, two sitting MLAs- Raghunandan Das and Sunanda Das alleged conspiracy behind denial of tickets to them.
BJD has fielded Sharada Prasanna Jena from the Balikuda- Ersama Assembly seat in place of sitting MLA Raghunandan Das.
"I was unwell and the coterie group created a wave against me. The conspiracy has been done by some district-level leaders for which I have not been given a ticket this time. Despite illness, tickets have been given to Ramesh Chandra Chyau Patnaik, Badri Patra, Prasanna Acharya and Aswini Patra. Right information has not reached the CM. At present, I am in the party and will denounce everything if needed," said Das.
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Similarly, the BJD has also dropped sitting MLA Sunanda Das from the Bari Assembly seat. Party has given ticket to Biswaranjan Mallick to contest this time.
“I extend my gratitude to the BJD chief to have given me opportunity to serve the people of Bari constituency. I had won by a margin of 4600 in 2019 and was able to increase the vote share of party to 40,000. Despite this, the people with vested interest were successful in their conspiracy and ticket was denied to me,” said Sunanda.
According to Sunanda, repeatedly, reports were in her favour but conspirators tried their best by bringing in wrong reports that she lacked the desired number of samiti members and Sarpanchs.
“Despite this, the samiti members and Sarpanchs had written a letter informing that they are with me. I know that Lord Jagannath will do justice to me by taking note of those who are behind the conspiracy,” said Sunanda.
Sunanda said, 'Had Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik seen all the reports, I would have got the party ticket."
“I will not speak against the BJD supremo but a person in Bari, who uses abusive language and misbehaves with women, has been given ticket. There are many conspirators and I was sure till yesterday that ticket would be given to me,” said Sunanda.
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On reports that several MLAs, who have been denied tickets, are being called to Naveen Niwas, Sunanda said that she was not invited. Sunanda had defeated Biswaranjan Mallick by a margin of 4600 votes in 2019, and now the party has given ticket to the latter. BJD leaders could not be contacted for their response to the allegation of the two MLAs.