Dilip Ray BJP candidate for Rourkela Assembly seat

Bhubaneswar: Former Union minister Dilip Ray has been nominated by the BJP to contest from Rourkela Assembly seat, which he had won thrice in the past. The BJP on Tuesday released the second list of 21 candidates for Odisha Assembly elections, including that of Dilip Ray.

At least five turncoats, who recently joined the BJP after quitting the BJD, also got BJP tickets. They are Amarendra Dash (Jagatsinghpur), Dambaru Sisa (Chitrakonda), Kalilash Kulesika (Laxmipur), Bhadav Hansdah (Saraskana) and Jagannath Nundruka (Bissam Katak).

Dilip Ray will fight against Odisha’s Labour Minister and BJD candidate Sarada Prasad Nayak from Rourkela seat. The party also changed two candidates who were named in the previous list. Tapas Ranjan Martha was replaced by Surama Padhi in Ranpur Assembly segment while the party nominated Chaitanya Nandibali in place of Chaitanya Hantal in Pottangi Assembly segment.