BJD Releases Seventh List of Assembly Candidates
Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has announced its seventh list of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections, featuring six new names. Among the prominent faces included in this list are Ranjita Marndi and Archana Rekha Behera, the wives of sitting BJD MPs.
Ranjita Marndi, spouse of Mayurbhanj MP Sudam Marndi, has been fielded from the Bangiriposhi assembly seat, which is currently held by her husband. This move makes them the only husband-wife pair from the BJD to contest the elections together this time. Archana Rekha Behera, wife of three-time MLA Subrat Tarai, has been nominated from Raghunathpalli.
The BJD has also made some notable changes, denying tickets to four sitting MLAs. Sunanda Das has been dropped from Bari, while Raghunandan Das has lost his ticket in Balikuda-Erasama. Other candidates who have been replaced include Simarani Nayak and Sharada Prasanna Jena.
With this latest announcement, the BJD has now declared 141 of its 147 candidates for the assembly elections. The party has also fielded 34 women candidates so far.
