BJD fields 33 women candidates at 23% ratio for Odisha Assembly polls
The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday fielded two women as candidates in the Odisha Assembly elections instead of their husbands who were incumbent MLAs in the outgoing Assembly.
The Chilika MLA Prasanta Jagdev who was earlier suspended last month from BJD after allegations of assault surfaced on social media, was remanded to judicial custody on Friday after a local court in Khordha rejected the lawmaker’s bail application.
Jagdev, who has often courted controversies over his strong-arm tactics, had allegedly assaulted BJP’s Niranjan Sethi when he protested delays in the distribution of cards under the National Food Security Act and assistance for construction of houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in Balugaon area of Khurda district.
Jagadev was on the run after police had lodged a criminal case against him. To escape arrest, he had moved the Orissa High Court through his counsel and sought anticipatory bail. The HC had dismissed his anticipatory bail petition and directed Jagadev to appear in the lower court for bail relief.
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The First Additional District Judge, Khordha on Friday rejected Jagdev’s bail petition after he made a physical appearance at the court.
The controversial MLA, who earlier officiated as president of the Khordha District Planning Committee, was sacked from the post by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik after his act of assault on the opposition leader in full public view had gone viral in social media. Jagadev had a history of rowdy and unruly acts in the past.
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