Sambalpur/Bhubaneswar: BJP candidate Ashok Panigrahi on Friday filed nomination paper for Bijepur Assembly by-poll in Odisha. Election to the seat was necessitated following the death of Congress MLA Subal Sahu on August 22.

Accompanied by thousands of enthusiastic supporters, Panigrahi, along with a galaxy of state-level party leaders, went around the town in a procession before reaching the Padampur sub-collector's office.

The by-election will be held on February 24. The ruling BJD candidate Rita Sahu, widow of the deceased Congress MLA Subal Sahu, will file her papers on February 5, party sources said.

However, the Congress is yet to announce the names of its candidates. A fissure has already developed within the local leadership over the party's candidature for Bijepur. While former minister Srikant Jena argued that vice-chairman of the Gaisilot panchayat samiti Pranay Sahu should be party's candidate, a few other leaders favour fielding former minister Ripunath Seth from the seat.

Jharsuguda MLA Nabakishore Das, who was a member of the six-member selection committee, said: "We have sent two names - Sahu and Seth - for AICC's approval. "

Film-stars Anu Choudhury, Mihir Das, and Harihar Mohapatra, who had joined the BJP recently, took part in the procession. At a public meeting held at Gour Bazar Chowk of Padampur, BJP leaders urged the people to vote for the party to protest against the neglect of Bijepur.

Addressing the rally, state president Panda lambasted the Naveen Patnaik government for neglecting Bijepur and west Odisha.

BJD MLA Samir Ranjan Dash said: "The people of Bijepur will ensure that BJD candidate wins the election."