Ruling BJD and BJP workers came face-to-face at the Puri collectorate when BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra reached there to file his nomination papers for the Puri Lok Sabha constituency.

While he was filing his papers, BJD’s Assembly candidate from Satyabadi Assembly seat former minister Sanjay Dasburma also arrived to file his nomination. Suddenly the supporters of both the BJP and the BJD started shouting slogans and tried to provoke each other.

The collectorate campus reverberated with slogans of Jai Jagannath, Jai Sri Ram, Narendra Modi Jindabad and Naveen Patnaik Jindabad. The place almost turned into a war zone. However, Puri SP Pinak Mishra reached the spot with a section of police force and brought the situation under control.

Patra said: “I am confident of winning the election this time. Last time, I did not get sufficient time. Only campaigned for 15 days. I have been with the people for the last five years and worked with them. The people of Puri are my family members, Now they are fighting for me. I am confident of winning the poll.”

To connect with the people, Patra said: “Lord Jagananth has his blessings on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and us. Modiji has launched many pro-welfare plans and I have given my report cards. People will judge me this time.”

Patra, who was defeated in 2019 by BJD’s Pinaki Misra by a narrow margin of only 12,000 votes, came in a huge procession to file his nomination papers. His roadshow started from Uttara Chhaka near Bhubaneswar and reached Puri. Hundreds of people, covering a distance of 50km, took part in the procession.

Patra has been pitted against BJD’s Arup Patnaik, former Mumbai Commissioner of Police. Arup is scheduled to file his nomination paper on May 2. The Congress’s Sucharita Mohanty, who had contested the Puri Lok Sabha in 2014, is yet to file her nomination paper. In 2019, Patra had polled 5,26,607 votes against Pinaki Misra’s polling of 5,38,312 votes. Congress’s Satya Prakash Nayak had only fetched 44,734 votes.

The other prominent figures who filed their nomination papers in the state included former Union minister Dilip Ray. He filed his nomination paper from Rourkela Assembly seat. Besides, sitting BJP MP from Bolangir, Sangita Singh Deo filed her nomination paper.

The BJD on Monday met the chief electoral officer and alleged that Patra exploited children for political gains and action should be initiated against him.