Bhubaneswar: At a time when poll fever is at its zenith, the State unit of BJP might have pulled ahead of its rivals in candidate announcement, but delay in allotment of tickets in key Lok Sabha constituencies like Cuttack and Kandhamal is creating lot of speculations.
While the saffron party has named candidates for 15 Lok Sabha and 121 Assembly constituencies, it is yet to field candidates for Kandhamal Lok Sabha and four Assembly seats which are going to polls in the second phase.
Following induction of Pratyusha Rajeshwari Singh into the party yesterday, talks began to do rounds that the parliamentarian might be granted ticket from her own Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat. However,as the party leadership appointed her as the State vice president, speculations on naming a new candidate for the Lok Sabha constituency has begun to gain momentum.
Similarly, political circles are abuzz with talks that the saffron party is likely to field former DGP Prakash Mishra from Cuttack Lok Sabha constituency.Earlier today, Mishra joined the party at a 'Mishrana Parba' at the State party headquarters in Bhubaneswar in presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Similarly, the party may field former MLA Debi Chand from Basta Assembly constituency. He also joined the saffron party today after quitting Congress. Apart from this, former BJD MLA Brundaban Majhi and ex-bureaucrat Panchanan Das joined BJP today.
On the other hand, as entry of new faces continues to strengthen the party, resentment among some party leaders over ticket distribution has also come to hit the party. Yesterday, Rajkishore Das, who was a ticket aspirant for Morada Assembly seat, resigned from the BJP State vice president post.
“Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan can be compared with Aurangzeb.Before being ruined by him,I managed to escape and resigned from the party,” said Das.
In response to Das, BJP vice president, Samir Mohanty said, “There is a saying that ‘grapes are sour that you can’t taste’ and the same applies toDas. A few months back Mayurbhanj party activists were alleging that he was having links with BJD and now it has becometrue.”