The BJD on Saturday announced candidates for three more assembly segments in Odisha, dropping two incumbent MLAs.
Chief Minister and BJD President Naveen Patnaik nominated Begunia MLA Rajendra Kumar Sahoo from the Khurda assembly seat which is now represented by Jotirindra Nath Mitra.
The party also fielded debutant Goutam Buddha Das from the Bhograi assembly segment, denying a ticket to incumbent legislator Ananta Das.
Pradeep Kumar Sahoo has been named from the Begunia assembly segment.
He had unsuccessfully contested from Begunia in 2019 as a Congress nominee. He joined the BJD two years later.
The BJD has so far nominated 144 candidates for elections to the 147-member assembly in Odisha.
The BJP and the Congress have already named 140 and 138 candidates respectively.
The state will go for polling in three phases between May 13 and June 1.
