Odisha bypoll: BJD fields late MLA Bariha's daughter in Padampur

Earlier on Saturday, Bharatiya Janata Party decided to field Pradip Purohit as its candidate for Padampur seat located in Bargarh district and Congress announced Satya Bhusan Sahu's name as its candidate.

The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha has fielded late party MLA Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha's daughter Barsha Singh Bariha in Padampur assembly seat by-poll to be held on December 5. Odisha chief minister and BJD's president Naveen Patnaik formally announced Barsha Singh Bariha as the party candidate on Monday.

The Padampur bypoll has been necessitated following sitting BJD MLA Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha's death on October 3. Earlier on Saturday, Bharatiya Janata Party decided to field Pradip Purohit as its candidate for Padampur seat located in Bargarh district and Congress announced Satya Bhusan Sahu's name as its candidate.

BJD won the seat in 2000, 2009 and 2019 while Pradip Purohit emerged victorious in 2014 on BJP ticket and Congress' Bhusan Sahu in 2004. In 2019, Purohit lost the seat by a margin of over 5,500 votes while the Congress candidate had to be satisfied with the third place.

BJD had in last assembly elections emerged victorious on this seat by securing 41.29 per cent of total over two lakh votes. The BJP and Congress candidates got 38.45 and 16.25 per cent votes respectively. The counting of votes will be held on December 8 with Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

As per poll schedule, the last date for filing nomination papers is November 17. The scrutiny of the papers will be held on November 18. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is November 21. (ANI)

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