Candidates file nominations for Odisha bypoll

The candidates of all the three major political parties- BJD, BJP and Congress-filed their nomination papers on Monday for Bijepur assembly bypoll, scheduled for October 21.

BJD candidate Rita Sahu, BJP's Sanat Gartia and Congress' Bargarh district vice president Dillip Panda submitted their nomination papers before the Returning Officer at the Sub-collector office in Padampur.

The bypoll in Bijepur assembly constituency in Bargarh district was necessitated after Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik resigned from the seat and retained the Hinjili assembly segment in Ganjam district.

The BJD president had won two seats in the last assembly elections.

BJP's Gartia was defeated by Patnaik for the seat by a margin of 57,122 votes in the last assembly polls, held along with the Lok Sabha elections.

"There is no friendly fight with BJD as alleged by critics. We will put our best of efforts to win the bypoll in Bijepur as the state ruling party has failed to fulfill promises made during last elections," Gartia told reporters after filing the nomination paper.

Accompanied by large number women supporters, BJD's nominee submitted her paper for the bypoll while Panda, who led a huge procession of Congress workers, was the first to file his nomination.

"I will fulfill the dreams of Chief Minister for the development of Bijepur. Irrigation for farmers, roads, filling up posts for teachers and doctors are my priorities," Sahu said.

She had contested a by-election in 2018 as the BJD candidate and won the Bijepur seat after death of her husband and then Congress MLA Subal Sahu.

Congress candidate said, "The people have already seen the BJD and the BJP candidates. I appeal to them to vote for a new face."

The last day of filing nomination was Monday while the scrutiny of the papers will be held on October 1.

There are 2,32,005 eligible voters who will exercise their franchise in 285 polling booths in Bijepur and the votes will be counted on October 24.