TNI Bureau: Meet the first-timers, young women MLAs of Odisha who made their political debut winning the 2024 Odisha Legislative Assembly elections. They entered the 17th Odisha Assembly today to take part in Speaker’s election although Surama Padhy of BJP was elected unopposed.
Upasna Mohapatra (26) of BJP, Sanjali Murmu (29) of BJP and Sofia Firdous (32) of Congress have won the 2024 Assembly elections from Brahmagiri, Bangriposi and Barabati-Cuttack Assembly Constituency in Odisha, respectively.
Upasna is the daughter of late Congress heavyweight Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra. The 26-year-old won the Brahmagiri Assembly Constituency by defeating BJD’s Umakanta Samantaray with a margin of 9,830 votes.
Sofia Firdous of Congress who scripted history by becoming the first Muslim woman MLA of Odisha, won the Barabati-Cuttack Assembly seat by defeating Purna Chandra Mahapatra of the BJP by 8,001 votes.
Similarly, Sanjali Murmu of BJP made her political debut winning the 2024 Odisha Legislative Assembly election from Bangriposi Assembly Constituency. She defeated Ranjita Marandi of Biju Janata Dal by a margin of 34,476 votes.
