Bhubaneswar: BJD candidate Rita Sahu Monday filed her nomination papers for the February 24 by-election to Bijepur Assembly seat.
Sahu submitted her documents at the sub-collector’s office in Padampur, Bargarh district, in the presence of senior party leaders including ministers.
There was a gathering of about 20,000 party workers as BJD tried to show its strength in response to what BJP did February 2 when its candidate had filed his nomination. The by-election was necessitated following the death of Subal Sahu, a three-time Congress MLA from the seat, in August last year. Rita Sahu, wife of Subal Sahu, joined the ruling party a month after. “BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will campaign at Bijepur for a day,” said BJD Rajya Sabha MP Prasanna Acharya.
The by-poll will see a triangular contest between the BJD, BJP and the Congress. BJP nominee from the seat and former MLA Ashok Panigrahi filed his nomination February 2. Panigrahi started campaigning from Monday from Gaisilet block with other top BJP leaders including the party’s face from Oriya film industry Shritam Das. Congress candidate Pranaya Sahu is scheduled to submit his papers Tuesday.
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