BHUBANESWAR: The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has again reposed faith on former MLA Rita Sahu by announcing her as the candidate of the party for the by-election to Bijepur assembly constituency to be held on October 21.
Announcing Rita Sahu’s candidature, Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik said, “I am indebted to the people of Bijepur for the blessings they showered on me. Bijepur would continue to be a focus constituency for me.”
The by-poll has become a prestige battle for the ruling BJD and the BJP, which is trying to wrest the seat. The constituency will go to polls for the third time in a little over a year. While the Congress has named Dilip Kumar Panda as the party’s candidate for the by-poll, the BJP is yet to announce its candidate. The last date for filing of nomination papers for the by-poll is September 30. Counting of votes will be held on October 24, 2019.
Thanking the Chief Minister for reposing faith on her, Sahu said all issues over candidature have been resolved. Though there was near unanimity over the candidature of Sahu, several others' names including former BJD MP from Bargarh Prabhas Singh was also considered, delaying the announcement.
Sahu had won by-election from the constituency in February 2018 by defeating nearest BJP rival Ashok Panigrahi by a margin of 41,993 votes. The by-poll was necessitated after the death of her husband Subal Sahu, who was the sitting Congress MLA. However, during the 2019 assembly elections, the Chief Minister had defeated Sanat Kumar Gartia of the BJP by a margin of 57,122 votes.
Earlier on September 25, Congress announced vice-president of the Bargarh District Congress Committee Dillip Kumar Panda as its candidate for the by-poll. The by-poll was necessitated after the BJD Chief, who successfully contested from both Hinjili and Bijepur in the Assembly elections earlier this year, retained the Hinjili seat and vacated Bijepur on June 2.