On the occasion of the auspicious Akshaya Tritiya festival on Friday, a number of candidates including Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal, party’s national vice-president Baijayant Panda and former state Congress president Niranjan Patnaik filed their nominations for the Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state.
The day is considered auspicious for beginning any work and the day also marks starting construction of chariots for Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra.
All the candidates went to file nomination papers after performing pujas in different temples on the day.
Baijayant Panda, also called Jay Panda, filed his nomination from Kendrapada Lok Sabha constituency, while Samal submitted his papers for the Chandbali assembly segment.
Panda’s BJD rival Ansuman Mohanty also filed his nomination paper at the Kendrapara sub-collector’s office for Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat. Both Panda and Mohanty came to the election office in road shows along with their supporters.
Octogenarian Patnaik filed his nomination from the Bhandaripokhari assembly seat.
Odia film actors Varsha Priyadarshini and Akash Das Nayak also filed their nomination papers from Badachana and Korei assembly segments respectively in Jajpur district.
The BJP national vice-president Panda said that the development will be further accelerated in the country and also in Odisha under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
Samal said he is optimistic of BJP forming the government in the state and also sweeping the Lok sabha elections.
Patnaik said he was compelled to file nomination paper for the love and affection of the people of Bhadaripokhari in Bhadrak district.
A total of 14 candidates of different political parties including Varsha Priyadarshi and Akash Das Nayak and Independents Friday filed their nomination papers in Jajpur district on Friday.
