The Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat in Western Odisha will witness a high-profile contest as ruling Biju Janata Dal has put up party general secretary (Organisation) Pranab Prakash Das, who is number two in the party after Naveen Patnaik, against Union Education Minister and BJP's Odisha face Dharmendra Pradhan.
Fifty-two-year-old Das is a three-time MLA from Jajpur seat in the coastal area of the State, while Mr. Pradhan, who was a Rajya Sabha MP has returned to the electoral fray after a gap of 15 years after he was nominated from the Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat.
Mr. Das who is popularly called Bobby started his election campaign by paying obeisance to Maa Samaleswari, the presiding deity of the western Region of the State on March 29. "I have sought blessings of Maa Samaleswari for the well-being of Odisha and also Sambalpur," Mr. Das said after offering puja at the temple.
