Bhubaneswar: Six-time MLA Pradeep Maharathy, who recently resigned from the state cabinet for his controversial remarks on the acquittal of the accused in the Pipli gang rape and murder, has been named BJD’s candidate from the Pipli assembly seat. His name was among the nine released by BJD president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik here on Sunday for the third and fourth phases of polls.The BJD has fielded former MLA Bhagirathi Sethi from the Anandpur seat. Sethi, who was BJP’s nominee for the seat, returned to BJD on March 29. He was the BJD MLA from Anandpur during 2009-14, before leaving the party and joining BJP in December 2014.The BJD has fielded Raghunandan Das against Damodar Rout, BJP’s choice for the Balikuda-Ersama assembly seat. Sitting MLA Prasanta Muduli has been moved to Jagatsinghpur. In 2014, Raghunandan had fought from the Balikuda-Ersama seat as an Independent after BJD denied him a ticket. He had secured 32,135 votes. Though he later joined BJP and became a ticket aspirant, he returned to BJD after BJP fielded Damodar from the seat.The BJD has roped in new recruit Santosh Khatua for the Nilagiri assembly seat as sitting MLA Sukanta Nayak recently joined BJP, accusing the ruling party leaders of neglecting him.The BJD’s Dhamnagar MLA Muktikanta Mandal has been denied a ticket; the party has roped in his wife Manjulata from the Bhadrak LS seat. Former MLA Rajendra Das has replaced Muktikanta in Dhamnagar.Despite protests from a section of party workers, Naveen has reposed faith in two-time MLA Pramod Mallick from Niali. Supporters and rivals of the surgeon-turned-politician recently clashed outside the CM’s residence here.The BJD has repeated sitting legislators — Samir Ranjan Dash and Surendra Sethi — from Nimapada and Kakatpur. With this, the party has announced names for 128 assembly seats.

Stay updated with all the Latest Bhubaneswar headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.