Bhubaneswar, Mar 27: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday declared the first list of party candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly elections.

The BJD president announced the names of nine candidates out of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha.

Veteran Congress leader and six-time MLA Suresh Routray’s son Manmath Routray, who joined the BJD today, has been named as the BJD candidate from the prestigious Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat for the upcoming general elections.

"It is an auspicious day for me. I never thought that my name would even be considered for the most premium Lok Sabha seat in Odisha - Bhubaneswar. It is a dream come true for me," Manmath said after he was named as BJD's candidate for Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat.

Earlier in the day, Manmath, a former commercial pilot, went to the BJD headquarters, Sankha Bhawan, with his supporters in a procession. He was inducted into the party by its MPs Manas Mangaraj and Sasmit Patra among other senior leaders.

Manmath resigned as a pilot of Air India and returned to the state in January this year.

BJD general secretary (Organisation) Pranab Prakash Das will contest from the Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat against Union Minister and BJP candidate Dharmendra Pradhan.

Odisha Minister Sudam Marndi will contest from the Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha seat while former Indian Hockey skipper Dilip Tirky will face former Union Minister and sitting MP Jual Oram in the Sundargarh Lok Sabha seat.

The list of candidates announced by the BJD for the nine Lok Sabha seats in the state is as follows:

Bhubaneswar: Manmath Routray
Nabarangpur: Pradeep Majhi
Koraput: Kaushalya Hikaka
Kalahandi: Lambodar Nial
Sambalpur: Pranab Prakash Das
Sundargarh: Dilip Tirkey
Mayurbhanj: Sudam Marndi
Kendrapara: Ansuman Mohanty
Aska: Ranjita Sahu

Odisha will vote in the Lok Sabha elections and Assembly polls, which are being held simultaneously, in four phases. The polling will be held on May 13, 20, 25 and June 1.

The votes will be counted with the rest of the country on June 4.

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