Kalindi junior may file nomination today

CUTTACK: Putting all speculation to rest, BJD nominee for Cuttack-Sadar assembly seat Chandra Sarathi Behera will file his nomination papers on Wednesday, party sources said.
Chandra, the sitting Salipur MLA, was upset over being shifted and had aired his grievance to BJD president Naveen Patnaik. But as nothing happened, Behera will file his papers on the last date of filing of nominations for second-phase polls.
"I will start campaigning from Wednesday. I have to put in lots of hard work to know my new constituency in such a short period," said Chandra.
Salipur assembly segment is the stronghold of Chandra's father Kalindi Behera, a four-time MLA from the constituency.
In 2009, Kalindi had vacated the seat for his son and moved to Cuttack-Sadar. This time BJD chief shocked the Beheras by not giving ticket to Kalindi and shifting Behera junior from his home turf.
The decision had not gone down well with party workers and agitations were also staged against Prasant Behera, BJD nominee for Salipur constituency. Prasant is son of former MLA Dharamanand Behera.
However, Chandra claimed that there is no internal bickering in the party.
"It was true that party workers were upset about me beingshifted, but I have no grudge against Prasant. I will support him wholeheartedly in the elections," said Chandra.
"I had organised a workers' meeting at Salipur recently to acquaint Prasant with grassroots workers and appealed to all to support him," said Chandra.
Another candidate, who will file his nomination on Wednesday, is Niali BJD nominee Dr Pramod Mallick. After a long wait, BJD supremo on Tuesday announced the doctor-turned-politician's name for Niali assembly segment. Mallick is sitting MLA of Niali, but was facing stiff opposition from within the party in his area.