BJD Fields Bed Prakash Agarwalla’s Wife From Patkura

Bhubaneswar: The BJD has picked Sabitri Agarwalla, wife of the former late MLA Bed Prakash Agarwalla, to contest the Patkura Assembly seat.

The announcement to this effect was made by the BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday.

Election to the Patkura Assembly segment under Kendrapara parliamentary constituency was countermanded due to following the death BJD nominee and outgoing MLA Bed Prakash on April 20. The assembly seat, where voting was to be held on April 29, will now go to polls on May 19.

Speculation was rife that the ruling party would field Bed Prakash’s son Sanjay from the seat to take on veteran leader Bijoy Mohapatra, which is contesting the election on BJP ticket.

According to the ECI notification, the last day of filing of nomination is May 1. Verification of the nomination papers will be done on May 2 while the last date for withdrawal is May 4.

The BJP, Congress and other political parties have already finalized the name of their candidate for Patkura seat.