Will Win By Over 4L Votes, Says Kharabela Swain After Filing Nomination As Independent From Balasore

Balasore: Raising a banner of revolt in BJP, former MP Kharabela Swain on Wednesday filed his nomination as an independent from Balasore Lok Sabha constituency in Odisha.

Taking a dig at BJP MP candidate from the seat, Pratap Sarangi, Kharabela said he should let go of his dream of becoming an MP again. “He cannot become an MP. He should instead fight from Nilagiri assembly seat. I will win the election by more than four lakh votes,” he told reporters.

Kharabela was hopeful of a ticket from the constituency since his return to BJP in 2019 after spending a decade unsuccessfully trying to establish his own party, Utkal Bharat. He was elected to Lok Sabha thrice from Balasore on BJP ticket before he quit the party by charting a different political path.

Kharabela had earlier suggested the BJP leadership to shift Sarangi to Nilagiri and field him from Balasore instead. However, the party quashed his suggestion by declaring Santosh Khatua as its candidate from Nilagiri.

In 2019, Kharabela had accepted BJP ticket for Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat at the eleventh hour but lost to BJD’s Achyuta Samanta by around 1.5 lakh votes.

With Kharabela putting his hat in the poll fray, Balasore is set to witness a four-corner fight as he is pitted against BJP’s Pratap Sarangi, BJD’s Lekhashree Samantaray and Congress’ Srikanta Jena.