BHUBANESWAR: With BJD yet to announce its candidate for the by-election to Padampur Assembly seat, the BJP and Congress on Saturday on Saturday nominated former MLAs Pradip Purohit and Satya Bhusan Sahu respectively for the battle of ballot scheduled on December 5.
“The BJP central election committee has approved the name of Pradip Purohit for the forthcoming by-election to Padampur,” said a press release issued by national BJP general secretary Arun Singh. While the BJD is still scouting for a suitable candidate, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) announced the name of Sahu. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the candidature of Satya Bhusan Sahu as party candidate for the ensuing by-election to the Padampur Assembly constituency,” AICC General Secretary Mukul Wasnik said in a statement.
A three-time MLA from Padampur (1980-85, 1985-90 and 2004-09), Sahu had unsuccessfully contested for the seat in 2009 and 2019. A popular leader in Bargarh district, Sahu secured 49,847 votes in 2009 and 32,787 votes in 2019.
The Padampur bypoll has been necessitated following the death of sitting BJD MLA Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha on October 3, 2022. Purohit had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly election from Padampur constituency on a BJP ticket in 2009. However, he trounced BJD candidate Bijaya Ranjan Singh Bariha in 2014 by a margin of over 4,500 votes. In 2019, Purohit lost the poll to Bariha by a margin of over 5,000 votes.
Purohit will file his nomination papers for the bypoll on November 14. State BJP president Samir Mohanty and general secretary (organisation) Manas Mohanty have left for Padampur to join Purohit for filing of nomination. Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari, Leader of opposition Jayanarayan Mishra, Kusum Tete, MLA and several other leaders from western Odisha will also accompany Purohit. As per the election schedule announced by the ECI, the last date for filing nomination is November 17 while the last date for withdrawal of candidatures is November 21.