Odisha: BJD fields SHG leader Pramila Bisoi for Aska Lok Sabha

Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday awarded party ticket to Pramila Bisoi, a Self-Help Group (SHG) leader, to contest the upcoming   Lok Sabha elections from the prestigious Aska Parliamentary Constituency.

Incidentally, the BJD president had started his own political career from Aska 20 years ago.

The move was a humble tribute to the lakhs of women in the Mission Shakti movement, said the Chief Minister in his Facebook page.

“In a humble tribute to the lakhs of women in our Mission Shakti movement, we in Biju Janata Dal have declared Mrs Pramila Bisoi SHG leader to be the lok Sabha candidate from the Aska constituency,” he said.

“Mrs Bisoi, President Sata Sankha SHG has had long years of experience in the SHG movement. Widely respected, she is a grassroot leader in her own right. She has used her leadership to influence and create awareness on wide ranging issues like sanitation, vaccination, institutional delivery, environment protection, literacy etc.,” he added saying women must be represented in the highest fora of decision making in the country.

Besides Bisoi, the ruling BJD today declared candidates for eight other Lok Sabha seats out of total 21 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

The eight other Lok Sabha candidates include Kousalya Hikaka (Koraput), Ramesh Majhi (Nabarangpur), Puspendra Singh Deo (Kalahandi), Kalikesh Singh Deo (Bolangir), Chandra Sekhar Sahu (Berhampur), Prasanna Acharya (Bargarh), Sunita Biswal (Sundergarh) and Dr. Achyuta Samant (Kandhamal.

Earlier, Patnaik had announced that BJD would reserve 33% seats for women in upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The ensuing simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Odisha are slated to be held in four phases, starting from April 11.

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