Bhubaneswar, May 6: Putting an end to all speculations, Khandapada MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik officially submitted his nomination today as an Independent candidate for the upcoming elections, vying for the Ghasipura Assembly constituency in Odisha.

Patnaik had previously announced his decision during a public gathering in Ghasipura, Keonjhar district, citing the support and wishes of his constituents as his driving force. He revealed that pressure from various quarters had urged him to contest the election.

Just three days ago, Patnaik visited Keonjhar, where he received a warm welcome from locals and sought blessings from Maa Tarini. He also disclosed that the BJP had proposed his candidacy for the Ghasipura seat. However, despite initial discussions, the BJP eventually nominated Shambhunath instead of Patnaik for the position.

In the 2019 elections, Soumya Patnaik secured victory in the Khandapada constituency under the BJD banner. However, he was expelled from the party approximately eight months ago following allegations of anti-party remarks and involvement in an alleged loan fraud case.

For the upcoming Ghasipura Assembly seat elections, Patnaik will face competition from BJD's Badri Patra, BJP's Shambhunath Rout, and Congress' Subrat Chakra.

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