Balasore: Former MP Kharabela Swain on Tuesday reiterated his demand for nominating senior BJP leader Pratap Sarangi from Nilagiri Assembly constituency while seeking the ticket for Balasore Lok Sabha seat for himself.
“I have given the proposal to the BJP to make an adjustment in allotment of tickets so that both Pratap Bhai and I can win from Nilagari and Balasore respectively,” said Swain while speaking to ANI on Tuesday.
Stating that he has never opposed Sarangi, Swain said even today also he continued to support him. “I had helped him (Sarangi) win from Nilagari in Assembly elections twice earlier. I have high respect for him and will continue to do so. There is no room for any rivalry,” he said.
On the grounds of his proposal of adjustment, he said, “I have never been interested in state politics. I was an MP for three terms and hence was hoping for nomination this time. On the other hand, Pratap Bhai has served as Nilagri MLA twice. So, my proposal is in the interest of BJP and it will benefit both of us.”
On being asked whether it was not already late for his proposal, Swain said everything was possible and the nominations can be changed. “Besides, the BJP is yet to announce its candidate for Nilagiri Assembly seat,” he added.
Days after raising a banner of revolt against the party for being denied a ticket from Balasore Lok Sabha constituency, Swain on April 1 had retracted his statement on contesting as an independent in the upcoming elections in Odisha and suggested some changes to the BJP’s Lok Sabha candidates list. He had then suggested that Sarangi be either shifted to Kandhamal parliamentary constituency or Nilagiri Assembly seat.
Swain had returned 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 from before he quit the party by charting a different political path with his own outfit.
He lost to BJD’s Achyuta Samanta by around 1.5 lakh votes in 2019.
