TNI Bureau: The BJD leadership had finalised the candidates for Puri Lok Sabha seat and all seven assembly constituencies coming under it, on Monday.

While former Mumbai Police Commissioner Arup Patnaik was confirmed as the Lok Sabha candidate, former Bhubaneswar MP Prasanna Patasani was the surprise package for Chilika.

However, BJD leaders and workers of Chilika did not take it positively and strongly objected to his candidature. Multiple meetings were held at Sankha Bhawan and a senior leader’s residence to block Patasani from being fielded from Chilika.

According to BJD sources, the decision to field Patasani from Chilika is being reconsidered and in all probability, he could be denied the ticket.

Meanwhile, BJD’s Puri Lok Sabha probable Arup Patnaik along with Sunil Mohanty (Puri Assembly), Sanjay Dasburma (Satyabadi Assembly), Rudra Maharathy (Pipili Assembly), Uma Samantaray (Brahmagiri Assembly), Arun Sahoo (Nayagarh Assembly), and Satya Narayan Pradhan (Ranapur Assembly) paid obeisance to Lord Jagannath – a clear message that they received the 2024 nod from the supremo.

However, Prasanna Patasani was missing in action, an indication that he is being dropped.