Varsha Priyadarshini makes political debut with BJD candidacy in Odisha assembly elections

Bhubaneswar: Ollywood actress Varsha Priyadarshini is stepping into the political arena, marking her debut with the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) as the party’s designated candidate for the upcoming Odisha Assembly elections set for May.

Having recently joined the BJD, Varsha has been nominated by the party to contest from the Barchana Assembly Constituency situated in Jajpur district. This move by the regional party has notably sidelined the incumbent MLA and prominent figure, Amar Prasad Satpathy, who has represented Barchana Assembly Constituency for three consecutive terms.

In a significant restructuring of candidacy, the BJD leadership, under the guidance of Naveen Patnaik, has opted for a change, denying tickets to several longstanding leaders. Among those not selected for candidacy are Bhagirathi Sethy, Minakshi Mahanta, Shashi Bhusan Behera, Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi, and Sudhansu Sekhar Parida, all of whom emerged victorious in the 2019 Assembly Elections from various constituencies.

In their place, the BJD has chosen Abhimanyu Sethi, Sanatan Mahakud, Varsha Priyadarshini, Ganeswar Behera, Subhashini Sahu, and Bidyasmita Mahalik to represent the party in the upcoming elections.

The list of BJD candidates for the respective constituencies is as follows:

Chilka: Raghunath Sahu

Anandpur: Abhimanyu Sethi

Saraskana: Debashis Marndi

Karanjia: Basanti Hembram

Remuna: Bidyasmita Mahalik

Simulia: Subhashini Sahu

Barchana: Varsha Priyadarshini

Kendrapada: Ganeswar Behera

Champua: Sanatan Mahakud

This strategic reshuffling underscores the party’s commitment to revitalizing its electoral presence and embracing new faces to spearhead its agenda in the forthcoming elections.