Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik files nomination from Hinjili

Berhampur: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday filed nomination for Hinjili assembly constituency in Ganjam district. This is the fifth consecutive time that the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president is seeking election from Hinjili. Patnaik, who would contest from two seats for the first time, has also been the party nominee for Bijepur. The chief minister said he will submit his nomination papers for Bijepur very shortly. Both Hinjili and Bijepur assembly seats will go to polls in the second phase of voting on April 18.

The last date of nomination for the second phase of polling is March 26. Patnaik is the first BJD candidate to file nomination for the assembly elections to be held along with the Lok Sabha polls in four phases next month. "I have filed my papers for the coming assembly polls," Patnaik told reporters soon after filing nomination before assistant sub-collector of Chhatrapur, S N Nayak, at Chhatrapur, the district headquarters town of Ganjam. The chief minister filed four sets of nomination, an official said. Accompanied by senior BJD leaders, he went in a procession to file his papers after visiting the nearby Taratarini Temple. To a query, Patnaik said the BJD will once again with a comfortable majority and form government in the state.