TNI Bureau: Odisha BJP leader Himanshu Sahoo, who was denied ticket by the party, is likely to contest as independent candidate from the Dharmasala Assembly seat.

Himanshu Sahoo who, is very much active on the ground, continues to organise meetings and showing his strengths and popularity in the locality is also getting massive support from the people, party leaders and workers of all 54 grampanchayats coming under the assembly constituency.

Himanshu, who joined the saffron fold after quitting the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has putting pressure on the saffron party to change the candidate after it fielded Smrutirekha Pahi to contest from the seat against BJD stalwart Pranab Balabantray.

Even hundreds of his supporters also had protested at Bhubaneswar BJP office on the day Smrutirekha Pahi was given the party ticket. Besides, they had held a massive rally protesting against her candidature and demanding ticket for Himanshu.

However, as their repeated demands is yet to be addressed by the party leadership, it is now speculated that Himanshu would contest the election as an independent candidate.