Bhubaneswar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Odisha, which was well ahead in poll preparation and making aggressive inroads into the rival camps, now finds itself in a sticky wicket. The “poaching” bid by the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has literally left the party in the lurch. Two of the BJP ticket-holders — Bhagirathi Sethi of Anandpur and Tusharkant Behera of Kakatpur - for assembly polls have jumped the fence to join the BJD just hours before filing their nominations, causing serious inconveniences to the party.
BJD spokesperson Dr Sasmit Patra on Wednesday said 12 more BJP ticket-holders were in touch with his party. In Bari assembly segment, the BJD granted ticket to BJP’s aspirant in Bari Assembly constituency, Sunanda Das, a few hours after she quit the saffron party for being denied ticket.
BJP’s MLA aspirant from Morada, Rajkishore Das also quit the saffron party to join BJD at the very last moment before being given ticket. The BJP, which until a couple of days before roped in all the BJD deserters, alleged that the ruling party was trying to “poach” its candidates since it is not able to get good candidates.
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