Odisha Assembly Polls: Revolt Against Official Candidates May Force BJP To Revise List

Bhubaneswar: Faced with open and loud protest against its official candidates in several Assembly seats in Odisha, the BJP is likely to go for a revision of the list of nominees.

According to highly reliable sources, the BJP is facing revolt by party workers in as many as 60 of 112 Assembly seats where it has already announced the candidates. It is also facing resentment against the official candidates in many of 21 Lok Sabha seats.

Soon after the saffron party announced its first list of candidates for Dharmasala, Korei, Soro, Jaydev, Banki, Kabisuryanagar, Berhampur, Phulbani, Daspalla, Boudh, Badamba, Ranpur, Basta, Bhanjanagr, Polasara and Patangi segments, the party workers started raising their voice of resentment.

The challenged the decision of the state leaders on changing the list at the last minute and questioned its basis. Making several allegations against the official candidates, they resented that their hard work for the party was washed away as their leaders were denied tickets.

They also pointed out serious error in selection of candidate for Patangi segment. The party selected Chaitanya Hantal belonging to scheduled caste (SC) while the seat is reserved for scheduled tribe candidate.

The BJP also faced revolt against its candidates in Aska, Kandhamal and Balasore Lok Sabha seats.

The sources said the party cadres, who have been working to mobilise support from the voters at grassroot level for a long time under their leaders, feel neglected as they feel the state leadership has foisted a candidate of its choice.

Anticipating non-cooperation by its workers at booth level during campaign and voting, the BJP is planning to reframe its strategy in closed door meetings. It is rethinking on the list and may go for change in the list of candidates for some seats, they added.