BJP Faces Candidate Selection Challenges in Odisha's Stronghold Constituencies

Cuttack, Kandhamal, and Jajpur are the three Lok Sabha constituencies in Odisha where the BJP is having difficulty finding qualified candidates.

The seats are thought to be the Biju Janata Dal's (BJD) stronghold. The BJP has not yet announced candidates for these three Lok Sabha seats, despite having done so for 18 other seats. Eight of the state's twenty-one Lok Sabha seats were won by the BJP in 2019.

According to sources, the party is delaying making a decision about these seats until after a few BJD turncoats join it. "We're waiting for a few well-known individuals to attend our celebration. After they join, the leadership will find it easier to make decisions. A top BJP leader said, "We have to wait a few more days.

In Odisha, there is a Modi wave. People who can convert this positive atmosphere into votes are what we need. The general elections of 2019 were bittersweet. The kindness for Modi had not been converted into votes by our politicians. We want to stop taking these kinds of risks. A top official said, "The leadership is looking for persons in these constituencies who have their own organizational networks.

Bhartruhari Mahtab, a six-term BJD MP from Cuttack who quit the party on Friday, is reportedly planning to join the BJP shortly, according to sources. According to sources, the party will decide who to run for the Cuttack seat when he joins.

Even though the party received more votes in Kandhamal during the most recent election, it nevertheless desires a candidate with a winning outlook. Backchannel attempts are underway to bring in a BJD mainstay who may run as a Kandhamal candidate.

In a same vein, the party is having difficulty selecting a candidate for Jajpur. Amiyakanta Mallick of the BJP, who had previously run for parliament, decided not to run again.