Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), May 2: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, former Union Minister Jual Oram, and Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi were among the notable candidates who submitted their nomination papers on Thursday. Dharmendra Pradhan, contesting a direct election after 15 years, filed his nomination for the Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat at the Sambalpur collectorate.
Earlier in the day, he conducted a grand roadshow in Sambalpur city following prayers at the Samaleswari temple. “The blessings of Maa Samaleswari are with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the BJP will secure 21 out of 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha,” he informed reporters.
Meanwhile, a minor altercation erupted among supporters of Aparajita and BJD MP candidate Manmath Routray at the Khurda collectorate, as they engaged in vigorous sloganeering during the filing of nominations.
Aparajita proceeded to the collectorate after seeking blessings at the Maa Bhuasuni temple in Jalna. Her female supporters also organized a scooter rally from Baramunda ground to Khurda. “With the blessings of Lord Jagannath and Lord Lingaraj, I am once again entering the electoral arena. I am grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his trust in me. This is a fight for the people of the constituency. With all humility but confidence, I can say that the people will remain ‘Aparajit’ (unbeaten) this time,” she expressed, making a wordplay on her name.
On the other hand, Manmath arrived at the collectorate riding a bullock cart and blowing a conch. “I am a son of Paika (soldier), and the bullock cart is its symbol. I am overwhelmed by the crowd accompanying me to the collectorate. I am confident of a significant victory in the elections,” he asserted to reporters.
Senior BJP leader and five-time MP Jual Oram also submitted his papers at the Sundargarh collectorate. He seeks re-election from the Sundargarh LS seat and is up against BJD’s Dilip Tirkey, who submitted his nomination papers on April 30.
