Odisha CM releases names of 36 BJD candidates for assembly polls

BJD president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday announced the names of candidates for 36 more assembly segments, which will go to polls in the third and fourth phases on April 23 and 29. Patnaik also denied ticket to nine sitting MLAs, including one minister.

The party gave tickets to sons of two sitting MLAs -- Pravat Ranjan Biswal (Cuttack-choudwar) and Pravat Tripathy (Banki) -- who were arrested and later released on bail for their alleged involvement in a multi-crore chit fund scam. With Wednesday's announcement, the ruling BJD has announced candidates for 101 of the 147 assembly segments in the state..