Lekhashri Samantsinghar joins BJD after quitting BJP, may get Balasore LS ticket

Bhubaneswar: A couple of hours after snapping 10-year-old ties with BJP, Lekhasri Samantsinghar joined BJD, the ruling party in Odisha, on Sunday.

The former vice president of Odisha unit of BJP was inducted into the Conch party in the presence of senior BJD leaders, including Manas Mangaraj and Sasmit Patra, during a programme at Shankha Bhawan here. She extended her gratitude to BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and 5T Chairman VK Pandian for accepting her with an open heart.

Speculation is rife that she might get a BJD ticket to contest the upcoming election from Balasore Lok Sabha constituency, the lone seat from where the party is yet to announce its nominee, to fill up the one-third quota for the fairer sex.

The regional party, which had started the trend of fielding women candidates in one-third of Lok Sabha seats in 2019, has so far given tickets to 6 women. In 2009, Rabindra Jena unsuccessfully contested from Balasore as BJD’s MP candidate. He is unlikely to be renominated this time as his wife Subhashree Jena is contesting for Basta assembly segment.