Puri Lok Sabha Elections 2024: The key contest in Puri Lok Sabha seat is set to take place between BJP's Sambit Patra, Biju Janata Dal's (BJD) Arup Patnaik and Congress's Jay Narayan Patnaik. Puri falls in Odisha state, which has a total of 21 Lok Sabha seats. Polling in Puri will take place in the sixth phase on May 25.
Earlier, Congress had fielded Sucharita Mohanty but she backed out citing shortage of funds after which the 'Grand Old Party' named Jay Narayan Patnaik.
Puri will see a triangular fight between BJP, Congress and BJD. However, a high-pitch battle is expected to take place between BJP's Sambit Patra and BJD's Arup Patnaik.
In the previous election, Sambit Patra put up a strong fight against BJD's candidate Pinaki Misra but he failed to win the seat. In Odisha, Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are taking place simultaneously.
The state's 21 seats will vote in phase four on May 13, the fifth on May 20, the sixth on May 25 and the seventh on June 1.
In 2019, the BJP won a total of 8 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha, BJD grabbed 12 and one seat went to Congress.
Puri Lok Sabha Election 2019
In 2019, BJD's Pinaki Misra defeated BJP's Sambit Patra by a margin of just 11,714 votes.
Earlier, there were speculations that the BJP and BJD might enter into alliance in the state, for both Lok Sabha and Assemly polls, but it didn't happen.
Puri is one of the hot seats in Lok Sabha elections as the city is historically and culturally important as it home to Jagannath Temple.
Puri Lok Sabha Election 2014
In 2014, BJD's Pinaki Misra defeated Congress' Sucharita Mohanty by a margin of 2,63,361 votes. BJP's Ashok Sahu was a distant third.
