Bijepur By-Poll: BJP Candidate Ashok Panigrahi To File Nomination Today

BJP candidate Ashok Panigrahi

Bargarh: Ahead of the ensuing byelection to the Bijepur Assembly constituency in Odisha’s Bargarh district scheduled on February 24, BJP candidate Ashok Panigrahi will file his nomination papers on Friday.

Senior party leaders have arrived at Bijepur for the purpose. BJP sources said a public meeting would be held at Goru Market at Padmapur. Subsequently a procession would be taken to the office of the sub collector (who is ex-officio the returning officer for the February 25 bypoll) where Panigrahi would file his nominations in the presence of senior party leaders including Odisha in-charge Arun Singh, state party president Basanta Panda, leader of BJP legislature party K V Singhdeo and Padmapur MLA Pradip Purohit.

“Party workers have been requested to remain present during filing of nomination,” Panda said. He further said the enthusiasm shown by the party workers has given a clear indication that the BJP will win the bypoll.

Sources in the sub collector’s office said five candidates have so far bought nomination papers. They are Rita Sahu from BJD, Ashok Panigrahi from BJP, Purna Chandra Paika of Ambedkar Party of India and two Independent candidates— Kuber Chand Yadav and Pramod Kumar Chhatar.

Keeping the political developments in view, elaborate security arrangements have been made at Padmapur with the deployment of three platoons of armed police force under the supervision of Bargarh SP Jugal Kishore Banoth.

While BJD candidate Rita Sahu will file her nomination on February 5, the Congress has said it would announce the name of its candidate on February 6.

Though the selection committee formed by the AICC president Rahul Gandhi had visited Bijepur constituency and selected Pranay Sahu as the party candidate, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Prasad Harichandan said the party candidate will be announced on February 6.

Senior Congress leader Srikant Jena said while the committee has already selected Pranay Sahu for the bypoll, any change of candidate by the party leadership will have a negative repercussion on the party.