The sixth and penultimate phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha is set to witness a fierce battle between the BJP and BJD. Sixty-four candidates are vying for the Sambalpur, Keonjhar, Puri, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, and Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seats that go to the polls on May 25. Notably, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is contesting from the Sambalpur constituency against the BJD’s organizational secretary, Pranab Prakash Das. Their duel is being seen as a proxy battle between the leadership of the two parties.
Another closely watched contest is the Puri seat, where BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra is pitted against the BJD’s Arup Patnaik, a former Mumbai Police Commissioner. Patra’s controversial remark during his campaign, stating that Lord Jagannath is a devotee of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has sparked outrage across the country.
In Cuttack, six-time MP Bhartruhari Mahatab, who recently joined the BJP, is contesting against the BJD’s Santrupta Misra, a corporate leader who is the richest candidate in the fray. The prestigious Bhubaneswar seat is likely to see a tough fight between the BJP’s Aparajita Sarangi, a former IAS officer and incumbent MP, and the BJD’s Manmath Routray, who is making his electoral debut.
The Assembly elections in this phase will also feature some prominent ministers, including Ashok Panda, Prafulla Mallick, and Ranendra Pratap Swain. Both the BJP and BJD have deployed their top leaders for campaigning, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
