Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the forthcoming by-election in Odisha’s Pipili, a senior BJD leader on Saturday asked the ruling party leadership to nominate one of the family members of former MLA , Late Pradeep Maharathy, as its candidate.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is yet to announce the date for the bypoll.
“As our party workers are presently working in the grassroots level in Pipili constituency, they have been receiving feedback from the people that they want the party leadership should pick one family member of Maharathy as the party candidate,” Nimapada MLA Samir Ranjan Dash told the media here.
Dash also said as Pipili is nearer to his constituency, he is also in touch with the people there.
“The people of Pipili still remember the contribution of Pradeep Maharathy, who had worked tirelessly for the development in their area. As the people are feeling his absence, they are keen on the candidature of any of his family members and they will accept the decision of the party high command on this matter,” he added.
On the other hand, BJP leader and deputy leader of the Opposition Bishnu Sethi said that while the BJD high command will take a call on this matter, the fact remains that the ruling party has woken up from a deep slumber after the massive win by the BJP in the bypoll to Nuasasan Panchayat in Pipili.
“As the BJP won the panchayat bypoll even without having its organization, it shows that the people desperately want a change this time,” Sethi said.
He further said that his party candidate Ashrit Patnaik, who contested against Maharathy in the last Assembly elections, had received about 46,000 votes and lost the election by about 9000 votes.
“Considering the growing popularity of Patnaik in Pipili constituency, the party is most likely to pick him as the candidate and the BJP Central Parliament Board will take a decision,” he added.
