BJD Appoints Amar Satpathy As Senior Vice-President, 3 Other Ticket Aspirants To Senior Party Posts

Bhubaneswar: In what could be perceived as a damage control measure, the BJD has appointed four of its leaders, who have been denied tickets for ensuing elections, to senior party posts.

A press release, issued by BJD’s general secretary Manas Ranjan Mangaraj on Tuesday, said party president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik has appointed Amar Prasad Satpathy as senior vice-president of BJD.

The BJD had dropped Satpathy and nominated actress Varsha Priyadarshini as its candidate for Barchana Assembly segment.

Satpathy, who is sitting six-time MLA and former minister, had said he was hurt for not getting the ticket this time but respected the party’s decision. He also exhorted his supporters to adhere to the party’s decision through a video message.

“My well-wishers were hurt after my ticket was cancelled. I am getting proposals from other parties, but I am still with the BJD. I have decided not to contest in 2024. People of Barchana are family to me and (I will) continue to serve them,” he said. The MLA was scheduled to meet Naveen Patnaik later.

The BJD has also appointed Srimayee Mishra as its working president. Though she was initially projected as party candidate for Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat, the BJD dropped her to nominate Manmath Routray, the son of Jatni MLA Suresh Routray who was suspended by Congress on disciplinary ground recently.

Similarly, the party has appointed Saroj Samal as its senior general secretary. Samal, who was an aspirant for BJD ticket for Dhenkanal seat, was also dropped from the list of nominees.

Prashant Sethi, an aspirant for Raghunathpalli, has been appointed as secretary of BJD after he was denied ticket for the constituency.