Odisha Elections 2024: Who Is BJP Candidate For Soro Assembly Seat?

Soro: Three reported changes in three days has led to confusion over BJP candidate for Soro Assembly seat under Bhadrak parliamentary constituency in Odisha with filing of nomination ending on Tuesday evening.

The saffron party initially nominated Rajendra Das from the seat, but replaced him with Parshuram Dhada on May 12. Dhada was dropped the following day (May 13) and the ticket was given to Rakesh Kumar Mallik. Das, however, was back as its candidate in another press release purportedly issued by the party on Tuesday (May 14).

Amid this confusion, Rajendra reached the office of the sub-collector and filed his nomination papers as the BJP candidate. He told the media that he will submit the party ticket during scrutiny of papers. He added that he has able to win over his adversaries and will abide by the party decision on selection of candidate.

Dhada along with supporters was also seen heading for the sub-collector’s office to file his nomination. “The candidate has been declared and I am leaving for filing the papers along with senior leaders and workers of the party,” he told reporters.

He had won the seat in 2014 and 2019 on BJD ticket. However, he switched sides to BJP after the regional fielded Madhab Dhada as its new face from Soro assembly constituency.

Das, on the other hand, is considered an ‘outsider’ in Soro and his nomination had earlier led to dissent in the local unit and among aspirants. The party office was closed for nearly 12 days after his candidature was initially announced and some party members had even prevented him from campaigning in the Soro area.

A former BJD leader, Das was expelled from the regional party in December 2022 after he contested independently in a by-election to Dhamnagar Assembly seat after being denied a ticket. He ended in the third spot and received just 8,153 votes in the by-poll which was won by BJP candidate Suryabanshi Suraj. He later switched allegiance to the BJP, hoping for a ticket from Dhamnagar constituency but was instead nominated from Soro.