Bhubaneswar: With four more days left for filing of nomination for the municipal polls, several names are doing rounds as the BJD’s probable candidate for the high profile Bhubaneswar Mayor post.
If party insiders are to be believed Shreemayee Mishra, who is chairperson of Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) is a strong contender as she is backed by the party’s organizational secretary Pranab Prakash Das.
Next in the race is Sulata Deo, the party’s spokesperson and advisor to Women & Child Development Department who has a strong political grounding.
Former chairperson of State Commission for Women Lopamudra Baxipatra and Iti Samanta, a writer and sister of BJD’s Kandhamal MP Achyuta Samanta are also stated to be in the list of aspirants for BJD ticket, party sources revealed.
If sources are to be believed, Chief Minister and party president Naveen Patnaik is expected to announce BJD Mayor candidate on March 4.
Bhubaneswar Mayor post is reserved for women and this time the election for Mayor will be direct.
What is more interesting for political observers is that BJP’s Aparajita Sarangi is Bhubaneswar MP while the three Assembly constituencies are represented by BJD MLAs.
