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| Abhimanyu Behera |
Bhubaneswar, Sept. 24: The Congress today announced former MLA Abhimanyu Behera as its candidate for the bypoll to Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat that goes to the polls on October 15.
The Congress leadership preferred Behera, because he had represented the Phulbani Assembly segment, which happens to be nerve centre of the Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat.
Behera is a Dalit leader and enjoys considerable influence in the area, said party sources.
The state leadership had recommended the names of former MP Pradeep Majhi and Bhakta Das, former minister Harihar Karan, sitting G. Udaygiri MLA Jacob Pradhan and Behera to the high command.
Pradesh Congress Committee president Jaydev Jena said Behera would file his nomination papers on Friday. The bypoll was necessitated by the death of sitting BJD MP Hemendra Chandra Singh on September 4.
The BJD has made it a prestige issue to retain the seat. The party has fielded Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh, wife of the deceased MP, to encash on the sympathy factor. She is expected to file her nomination papers in Phulbani tomorrow.
At least seven ministers are camping in Kandhamal to arrange a big gathering at the time of her filing of nomination papers.
Senior cabinet ministers Pradip Kumar Amat, Bikram Keshari Arukh and Pradeep Kumar Maharathy were overseeing the poll management.
Former Kandhamal MP Rudramadhab Ray, who was denied ticket by the BJD in the last elections, joined the BJP and became its candidate from the constituency.
The BJP’s campaign committee chairman Bijoy Mohapatra is supervising the party’s campaign in the constituency.
It has already mobilised its workers to ensure that the party launched a high-decibel campaign.
Party spokesman Suresh Pujari said Ray would file his nomination papers on Friday.
Though two days are left for filing of nomination papers, not a single nomination has yet been filed, as told by the returning officer’s office.
Kandhamal Lok Sabha comprises seven assembly segments — Baliguda, G Udaygiri, Phulbani, Kantamal, Boudh, Daspalla and Bhanjanagar.
Ruling BJD has won six assembly segments, while G Udaygiri assembly seat is occupied by Congress.
