BHUBANESWAR : Dozens of candidates including Congress’ Bhubaneswar MP candidate Yasir Nawaz and heavyweights Soumya Ranjan Patnaik and former minister Badrinarayan Patra filed their nominations on the last day of the process for third phase polls in the state.
Nomination filing for the crucial phase remained peaceful in all places except for Puri on the day. Before filing his nomination, Nawaz carried out a large procession from Jadupur and also offered prayers at Maa Bhuasuni Temple on the way to Khurda collectorate. Yasir said he was confident that people of Bhubaneswar will support Congress this time and he will be able to put up a strong fight against BJP’s candidate and MP Aparajita Sarangi and BJD’s Manmath Routray.
Apart from Yasir, Khandapada MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik filed his nomination as an Independent from Ghasipura. His rival from BJD Badrinarayan Patra also filed his nomination from the same seat. Patnaik paid obeisance to goddess Tarini at Ghatagaon temple before heading to Anandapur sub-collector office to file his nomination. Both leaders were seen wishing each other and exchanging pleasantries during filing of the nominations.
BJD’s Anandapur Assembly candidate Abhimanyu Sethi also filed his nomination on the day. Besides, former MLA and BJP Assembly candidate from Kuchinda, Rabinarayan Naik, party’s Athamallik candidate Sanjeeb Sahoo and Kamakhyanagar candidate Satrughna Jena filed their nomination papers. Union Minister and BJP Sambalpur Lok Sabha candidate Dharmendra Pradhan was seen accompanying the three candidates during processions in their respective constituencies.
Meanwhile, a clash broke out among supporters of Congress’ Puri Assembly candidate Uma Ballav Rath and Independent candidate Sujit Mohapatra. The Congress candidate, who had been attacked by miscreants on Sunday evening, was seen heading to the sub-collector’s office in Puri in a fleet of bullock carts for filing of his nomination papers. However, supporters of the two candidates clashed with each other at Kacheri Chhak forcing cops to intervene to maintain law and order.
The third phase in which elections will be held to six Lok Sabha constituencies - Sambalpur, Puri, Bhubaneswar, Cutttack, Keonjhar and Dhenkanal along with their 42 Assembly segments on May 25 is considered the most crucial phase in terms of number of seats as well as the number of heavyweights in the electoral battle. After nominations, scrutiny of nomination papers in this phase will take place on May 7, while the last date for withdrawal of nominations is May 9.
A total of 94,41,797 voters, including 48,26,375 males and 46,14,134 females will exercise their franchise in more than 10,500 booths in this phase, where triangular fight is expected in a dozen Lok Sabha and Assembly seats.