Bhubaneswar: Disgruntled BJD leader and former MLA Rajendra Das on Friday filed nominations for the upcoming Dhamnagar bypoll as an independent candidate.
His entering the fray is likely queer the ruling party’s pitch, which had played the woman card by fielding Tihidi block chairperson Abanti Das to counter the sympathy wave in favour of the BJP candidate Suryabanshi Suraj Sthitaprajna, son of Bishnu Sethi whose demise necessitated the by-election.
Amid speculation that he might be offered a position in the government or some PSU to withdraw from the race, Das said that there was no question about it. “My aim is to serve the people of Dhamnagar. The BJD has done injustice to me. I had lost in the 2019 polls by a narrow margin due to rival groups within the party,” he said while exuding confidence that he would win the bypoll with “blessings of elders and public support”.
According to sources, BJD leadership had assured Das that he would be nominated, but picked Abanti, a protege of his, instead, leading to an open revolt by party workers belonging to the faction of the former MLA. They persuaded him to file his papers as an independent candidate on social media.
A letter, purportedly written by Das that went viral on social media, further reinforced his resentment. “I won Dhamnagar on a BJD ticket in 2009. The party denied me a ticket in 2014. Though I was again given a ticket in 2019, some BJD leaders conspired against me, resulting in my loss. I was assured a ticket for the by-poll this time, but the party ignored me and ruined me,” the letter read.
Notably, Das brought Abanti into politics and is also stated to have played a major role in her becoming the chairperson of Tihidi block.
Das’ entry would make the Dhamnagar by-election interesting as it is likely to become a four-horse race with BJP’s Suryavanshi Suraj and Congress’ Baba Harekrushna Sethi in the fray. Abanti is expected to file her nomination papers later in the day.
While the last date for filing nomination is October 14, voting will be held on November 3 and the counting of votes and announcement of results will be done on November 6.
Bishnu Sethi had won the election from Dhamnagar by a margin of 4,625 votes in 2019. He polled 80,111 votes and his nearest rival Das of BJD got 75,486. While Manmohan Samal of BJP had won the seat in the 2004 elections, Das was elected from Dhamnagar in 2009 and Muktikanta Mondal of BJD in 2014.
