Filing of nominations concludes

Bhubaneswar: Union Minister and senior Congress leader Srikant Jena, BJD's Baijayant Panda and BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra were among the candidates who filed nomination today in 11 lok sabha and 77 Assembly seats for the second phase elections to be held on april 17.

Srikant Jena, Union minister for chemicals and fertilisers, filed his nomination papers as a Congress candidate from Balasore Lok Sabha constituency from where he is the sitting MP at present.

Jena's rivals - Pratap Sarangi of BJP and Rabindra Jena of BJD - also filed their nomination papers today.

Senior BJD leader Baijayant Panda, sitting MP from Kendrapara lok sabha constituency, filed his nomination from the same parliamentary segment as a ruling party nominee.

Similarly, his party colleague Pinaki Mishra filed his nomination papers from Puri lok sabha constituency as a BJD candidate. Mishra is the sitting MP from Puri.

Tourism and culture Minister Meheshwar Mohanty, who was seriously injured after being shot at by miscreants last month, filed his nomination from Puri assembly constituency as a BJD candidate.

Another minister Rajnikant Singh filed his nomination from Angul assembly seat as a BJD nominee.

Labour leader Bapi Sarkhel filed his nomination as a Congress candidate from Paradip assembly constituency.

Senior leader Arun Dey, who had joined the ruling BJD barely ten days ago, quit the regional party and filed his nomination for Balasore assembly constituency as a Congress candidate.