Odisha Polls: Cong Welcomes Biswabhusan Das Back With Ticket For Kakatpur Assembly Seat

Bhubaneswar: The Congress has nominated Biswabhusan Das, who had returned to the party from BJP recently, for Kakatpur Assembly constituency in Odisha’s Puri district.

Das had contested on Congress ticket from Kakatpur in 2009 elections but lost. In 2014 elections, the Congress nominated Rabi Sethi for the seat. Though Das extended his support to Sethi, the latter lost the election. In 2019, Das again entered the fray as Congress candidate but failed to win.

Recently, Das changed over to BJP with a hope of getting its ticket for Kakatpur seat. But the saffron party nominated Baidhar Mallik dashing the hope of Das. This led Das to return to his parent party Congress on April 24, 15 days after joining BJP. He was rewarded by the Congress with the party ticket from the seat for the ensuing elections.

Besides BJP’s Mallik, Das will face Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Tusarkanti Behera from BJD in the elections this time. Das had lost to Behera by over 45,000 votes in 2019 elections.

It may be noted that the Congress has so far announced its candidates for 146 out of total 147 Assembly seats in the state. The party nominee for only Nilagiri constituency has not been declared yet.