BHUBANESHWAR: As the ruling BJD organised workers conferences in Bijepur assembly constituency to win from the segment in the by-poll likely to be announced soon, the committee constituted by the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) has also started its exercise to find out a suitable candidate to hold on to the segment.
While chief minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik will launch the campaign for the by-poll at Barpali on October 21, the BJP is also planning a high voltage campaign in which several unions ministers and chief ministers of neighbouring states will take active part.
The Congress team headed by party MLA Naba Kishore Das and comprising former ministers Kishore Patel and Prakash Debta is likely to submit report to the high command within seven days. The team will submit report recommending the names of possible candidates, Das said and added that the high command will announce the name of the party nominee soon. Das said the committee will recommend the names wanted by the people of the constituency to be the Congress candidate.
Meanwhile, the BJD today organised workers conference of Gaisilet block at Padmapur to boost the workers' confidence for the by-poll. The party also organised a meeting of new entrants from Congress and BJD workers at Barpali to settle unresolved issues at the local level, senior leader and Rajya Sabha member Prasanna Acharya said.
BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra and minister for steel and mines Prafulla Mallik who is BJD observer for Bargarh district also attended the meetings.
Acharya said workers conference for Bijepur block will be held at Sohela tomorrow. After the block level conferences, BJD will organise panchayat level workers' conferences, he said and added that the party is fully prepared for the by-poll.
While the BJD has already announced Ritarani Sahu, widow of Congress MLA Subal Sahu as its candidate for the by-poll, the BJP and Congress are yet to finalise their nominees. ends.