Bhubaneswar: Odisha Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson and general secretary Lekhasri Samantsinghar is among the frontrunners for the party’s mayor ticket for Bhubaneswar. The name of leading Ollywood actress and party’s state executive committee member Anu Choudhury is also doing the rounds.
The election to Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, which was held up for three years, will finally see a woman mayor being elected directly by the voters when polls are held on March 24.
While Lekhashri’s candidature is said to be backed by a powerful group, supported by a Union Minister, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi, who is in the selection committee along with party president Samir Mohanty and other senior leaders, is said to be keen on Choudhury ostensibly because she doesn’t enjoy the best of terms with Lekhashri, party sources said.
Lekhasri has been leading the saffron party’s tirade against the BJD government and holding press briefings to highlight the failure of the ruling party time and again along with other leaders of the party. She had quit her job as an assistant professor at Ravenshaw University in Cuttack, to join politics after a teaching and research career spanning 15 years. She has a PhD in Environmental Science from Utkal University, Vani Vihar, Odisha specializing in waste management, sustainable development and environmental pollution issues and is an Independent Director on the Board of BHEL.
Anu, on the other hand, was seen campaigning for the party in the recently-concluded panchayat elections.
“Eligibility and winnability will be the criteria for selection of candidates in the ULB polls,” Aparajita told mediapersons.
Babu Singh, BJP Bhubaneswar District president, had earlier told the media, “Whoever stands as Mayor will go to the public with the issue of the state government’s failure in providing safety to women.”
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