Nominations filed for Bijepur bypoll in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The candidates of the three major political parties Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress filed their nomination papers for the bypoll to Odisha’s Bijepur Assembly seat.

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

Monday was the last date for the filing of nominations.

The candidates exuded confidence to put up a good show in the bypoll.

“The people of Bijepur have deep faith in Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and me. With the blessings of the voters, I will definitely win the election,” said Rita Sahu.

Rita Sahu, wife of late Congress MLA Subal Sahu, was elected as Bijepur MLA on BJD ticket in February last year following the death of her husband in August 2017.

Congress candidate Dillip Panda said people have started imposing faith in the party as they are fed up with the misrule of the BJP and BJD.

The bypoll was necessitated after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who won from both Bijepur and Hinjili Assembly Constituencies, vacated the Bijepur seat.

The bypoll to Bijepur Assembly constituency will be held on October 21. The counting of votes will be held on October 24.