Summary:
Earlier there was speculation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be fielded from Puri.
“I am fortunate that a seat for the PM, as discussed by the media, has come to me.
People here see Sambit Patra as a representative of Modi… that he can approach the PM directly with their problems,” Patra had said while campaigning.
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In what was seen as the contest of spokespersons, BJP’s Sambit Patra lost a close fight against BJD MP Pinaki Mishra in Puri Lok Sabha seat.
In a see-saw battle, spokesperson and sitting BJD MP Mishra finally emerged as a winner by a margin of 11,714 votes.
While Misra secured 5,37,782 votes, BJP’s national spokesperson Sambit Patra was trailing behind with 524504 votes.
Congress’ spokesperson Satya Prakash Naik came in third.
With eight Lok Sabha seats in its kitty in Odisha, the BJP has improved its performance from the 2014 polls, when it had won a single seat in the state in 2014.
Earlier there was speculation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be fielded from Puri.