Bhubaneswar: Two MLAs and a Lok Sabha MP of the ruling BJD in Odisha who are in jail for their alleged involvement in the multi-crore rupees chit fund scam will not contest the upcoming simultaneous Odisha Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Pravat Biswal, the BJD sitting MLA of Cuttack-Choudwar who was arrested by the CBI for his alleged link with the ponzi firm Seashore September 19, 2017, said he has informed by party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik about his decision not to field him for the Assembly election this time.
Biswal said the BJD president would take a decision on whether to field his son in his place in the Cuttack-Choudwar Assembly seat.
He was arrested by CBI for his alleged link with Seashore, a ponzi firm in 2017. He was granted conditional bail by Orissa High Court in June 2018.
The BJD MLA from Banki assembly segment Pravat Tripathy has also informed Patnaik about his decision not to contest the polls this time.
Tripathy was arrested October 31, 2014, for his alleged links with AT Group, another ponzi firm and was suspended from the party.
The Orissa High Court had granted him bail March 3, 2015. BJD has, meanwhile, revoked his suspension.
Tripathy has admitted that he has been trying to secure a BJD ticket for his son Devi Ranjan Tripathy, who is the state working president of the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal.
Ramchandra Hansda, who is a sitting MP from Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha seat, said he will not contest the election this time.
He was elected to the Lok Sabha on a BJD ticket and was later suspended from the party after his arrest November 4, 2014. He was granted bail by the Supreme Court in July, 2018.
Meanwhile, the opposition BJP has named Ritarani Bagarti, wife of former party MLA Hitesh Kumar Bagarti, as its candidate from Khariar assembly segment. Hitesh was elected from Khariar assembly segment on a BJP ticket in 2009.
