Change Of Guard In Odisha BJP Likely To Become Clear Tomorrow

Bhubaneswar: The filing of nominations for the election of State unit president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be held tomorrow, the party sources said on Wednesday.

The aspiring candidates will file nominations tomorrow in the presence of party observers for organisational polls, Narendra Singh Tomar and Rajiv Pratap Rudy. Later, the scrutiny and withdrawal of candidature will be held, said BJP assistant returning officer Sudipta Ray.

“Firstly, efforts will be made to elect the State chief with mutual consent. If there is more than one candidate for the post, voting process will be carried out on January 17 from 10 am to 1 pm. The vote counting will be conducted at 1.30 pm,” Ray said.

If there is one candidate, it might become clear as to who will become the next party chief or else the central election observer will announce the new president on January 17. Besides, 21 national council members will be selected from 21 Lok Sabha constituencies in the State who will cast their votes in the election of national president, Ray said.

Speculations are rife that senior leaders Samir Mohanty and Prithivraj Harichandan are frontrunners to take over the baton of next president of the Odisha BJP.

According to sources, the election for BJP’s national president will be held on January 20. Prior to that, the saffron party will elect the chiefs of its state units.