BHUBANESWAR: The BJD and Congress finally announced their candidates for Dhamnagar bypoll on Wednesday, nominating Abanti Das and Baba Harekrushna Sethi from the seat respectively.Abanti Das is chairperson of Tihidi block. Her name was announced after day-long deliberations by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik with party leaders including the two former MLAs Rajendra Das and Mukti Kanta Mondal who were strong contenders for a ticket. A close political associate of former MLA Das, Abanti also has vast experience in Mission Shakti activities.
As sympathy wave is going to be a factor in favour of BJP which has fielded Suryabanshi Suraj Sthitaprajna, son of Bishnu Charan Sethi, BJD has played the women card to counter this by deciding to field Abanti. Besides, her strong links with the women self help groups (SHGs) in the constituency is also going to have an impact on the outcome of the poll. BJD sources maintained that her candidature will also balance the factionalism in the constituency between the groups led by former MLAs Das and Mondal.
Das who contested the 2019 Assembly elections from the seat was defeated by a margin of less than 5,000 votes by Sethi. While the leadership has assuaged Das by fielding his relative Abanti, another former MLA, Mondal has been assigned to work for the party candidate in Tihidi block, 12 gram panchayats, which are part of the constituency.
After announcement of candidate by BJD, Das said that he will fully cooperate and work for the victory of party nominee Abanti.The Congress has also announced a new face in Harekrushna Sethi. Stating that the Congress candidate is highly educated, president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee Sarat Pattanayak said the party will give a tough fight to BJD and BJP candidates.