The BJP has released the list of 112 candidates for the upcoming Odisha assembly elections which will held alongside the Lok Sabha elections.
The party’s state unit president Manmohan Samal will contest from Chandabali while its former chief Suresh Pujari, an MP in the outgoing Lok Sabha, will fight from Brarajarajnagar.
The Odisha assembly has 147 seats and the BJP has emerged as the main challenger to the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal. Patnaik has been at the helm of the state since 2000.
The BJP and the BJD were in talks for an alliance but the negotiations fell through over seat-sharing arrangement. The BJD and the BJP won 112 and 23 seats respectively in the 2019 polls in the state where the Congress is the third main party.
ଆଗାମୀ ବିଧାନସଭା ନିର୍ବାଚନ ପାଇଁ ଭାରତୀୟ ଜନତା ପାର୍ଟିର ରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରୀୟ ଅଧ୍ୟକ୍ଷ ଶ୍ରୀ @JPNadda ଙ୍କ ଅନୁମୋଦନ କ୍ରମେ ଆଜି ଦଳର କେନ୍ଦ୍ରୀୟ ନିର୍ବାଚନ କମିଟି ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ୧୧୨ ବିଧାନସଭା ଆସନ ପାଇଁ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥୀ ତାଲିକା ଘୋଷଣା କରିଛନ୍ତି। pic.twitter.com/SULzRGafK6
— BJP Odisha (@BJP4Odisha) April 2, 2024