Bhubaneswar: The Bharatiya Janata Dal (BJD) has stirred speculation in political circles with the appointment of Berhampur MP Chandrasekhar Sahu as the party’s vice president and chairman of its manifesto committee on Wednesday. This move has triggered discussions regarding Sahu’s potential renomination to contest the parliamentary elections, especially as the Naveen Patnaik-led party has already announced candidates for 15 Lok Sabha constituencies, leaving Berhampur among others yet to be finalized.
Sahu’s organizational appointment comes amidst the backdrop of Bhrugu Buxipatra’s departure from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after 23 years, further fueling speculations that the BJD might be eyeing Buxipatra as a potential candidate for the Berhampur Lok Sabha seat. Buxipatra, who had previously contested from Berhampur in 2019, garnered an impressive 3.49 lakh votes but lost to Sahu by a margin of around 94,000 votes.
In response, the BJP has allocated its ticket for the Berhampur parliamentary constituency to former minister Pradeep Panigrahi, who joined the BJP in February after being expelled from the BJD. However, rumors are also circulating that the BJD may consider fielding a woman candidate from the Berhampur LS seat this time, adding another layer of intrigue to the electoral dynamics in the region.
As the electoral battle heats up, the Berhampur Lok Sabha seat promises to be a closely contested affair with significant implications for the political landscape in Odisha. With both the BJD and BJP making strategic moves and considering various factors in their candidate selection process, the stage is set for an intense showdown in the upcoming elections.
As stakeholders and constituents eagerly await further developments, the spotlight remains firmly on Berhampur as political parties navigate the complexities of candidate selection and campaign strategies in the pursuit of electoral success.
