BJD Fields 33 Women Candidates, Achieving 23% Ratio for Odisha Assembly Polls

Bhubaneswar: In a strategic move ahead of the upcoming Odisha Assembly elections, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has announced its candidates for 141 out of 147 Assembly seats. Notably, the party has fielded 33 women candidates, signalling a commitment to gender representation.

In a notable departure, two sitting MLAs have been replaced by their wives as candidates. Additionally, four incumbent MLAs have been denied tickets. Sudam Marndi, a minister, was earlier nominated for the Lok Sabha polls but has now been replaced by his wife for the Bangiriposhi seat. Similarly, Raghunathpalli MLA Subrat Tarai’s wife has been fielded in his place.

The BJD’s focus on women candidates aligns with its previous promise to ensure 33% representation in both Assembly and Lok Sabha seats. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the party secured victory in 12 out of 21 seats, with five of the seven women candidates emerging victorious.

Speculation suggests that the party may nominate more women candidates for the remaining six Assembly seats. With women constituting a significant portion of the electorate, their voting patterns are expected to influence the election outcome significantly.

However, the BJD government has faced criticism, particularly from opposition parties, for its emphasis on revenue from liquor sales. This has led to concerns about rising crime against women in the state.

Despite this, the BJD has implemented several women-centric populist measures to maintain its support among female voters. With Odisha boasting a significant voter base of 3.35 crores, of which 1.65 crores are women, the party’s efforts to appeal to this demographic could prove crucial in the upcoming polls.