Dynasty Watch

In Berhampur it8217;s Jayanti Patnaik, wife of former Chief Minister and Congress heavyweight J B Patnaik, who has been renominated from the seat. Though a politician in her own right, J B Patnaik has made this contest a prestige issue. The stakes are high for the Patnaik family. J B Patnaik and his protege and President of the State Youth Congress, Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mahapatra, have been camping at Berhampur for the past three weeks.

Ranjib Biswal, son of water resources minister Basant Kumar Biswal, is the fray for the third time in a row from the Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha constituency. He is aiming for a hat-trick this time.

Other high-profile sons and relatives who have entered the electoral arena include Tathagat Satpathy, Biju Janata Dal BJD candidate from Dhenkanal. However, Tathagat8217;s mother and former chief minister Nandini Satpathy is in the Congress. Political observers say the Satpathy family8217;s support base in Dhenkanal will come in handy for Tathagat, who represented the seat in the 12th Lok Sabha.

The Congress has also fielded Subhankar Mahapatra, son of ex-AICC General Secretary Late S S Mahapatra, from Balasore. Besides, Chandrasekhar Majhi, Congress candidate from the Nowrangpur seat, is the younger brother of Basudev Majhi, Congress MLA from Kotpad.