Odisha CM files papers from Kantabanji

Bhubaneswar: BJD president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday filed his nomination papers from Kantabanji Assembly segment under Bolangir parliamentary constituency in the State’s western region, two days after he filed his papers from his traditional Hinjili seat in Ganjam district.

After reaching Tushra Airstrip, Patnaik led a procession to the sub-collector’s office at Titlagarh and filed papers in the presence of BJD leader and his schoolmate AU Singhdeo and party leader VK Pandian. Patnaik chose Kantabanji as the second seat as it is strategically located and connected to three Lok Sabha seats such as Kalahandi, Bolangir, and Bargarh.

These three LS seats were won by the opposition BJP in the 2019 elections. BJD insiders feel that Patnaik decision to contest from Kantabanji will have a significant impact to raise BJD’s stake in the region, particularly in Bolangir district. Kantabanji seat was last won by Congress candidate SS Saluja. Even in the 2019 elections, Patnaik had contested from two seats - Bijepur and Hinjili - and had won in both. He retained the Hinjili seat while resigning from the Bijepur assembly segment.