Bhubaneswar: All the major political parties have geared up to contest in the Bijepur Assembly bypoll in Odisha that will be held on February 24.

The Election Commission had on Tuesday announced the dates for the bypoll. The counting and results will be declared on February 28. The last date for filing nomination is February 6.

The BJD has announced Rita Sahu, widow of the deceased sitting MLA Subal Sahu, as its candidate much ahead. Rita informed after meeting chief minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik that she would file nomination papers on February 5.

"I will file nominations on February 5. I am confident of winning the bypoll," she told newspersons here on Sunday.

Local stalwart Prasanna Acharya said BJD was fully prepared for the bypoll. "With each passing day, more and more people from the constituency are joining the party. It has been months since the BJD declared the party's candidate. We are ready for the bypoll and the BJD will definitely win," said Acharya.

On the other hand, the BJP and Congress are yet to announce their candidates.

Senior BJP leaders - including Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, party's Odisha-in-charge Arun Singh, state president Basanta Panda and legislature wing leader K.V. Singh Deo - on Sunday held a core committee meeting to finalise the party candidate. The names of the probable candidates were shortlisted at the meeting and were sent to the Parliamentary Board for its final decision.

BJP leader Pradip Purohit said: "The Parliamentary Board is expected to announce the name of the candidate shortly."

Party insiders said that former BJD MLA Ashok Panigrahi, who had joined the BJP a couple of months ago, was the frontrunner for the BJP.

In another development, the Congress has constituted a six-member committee, headed by former chief minister Hemananda Biswal, to look for a suitable candidate. Congress leader Sarat Patnaik said the committee would visit the area on January 30 and submit a report to the committee president. Thereafter, the party would finalise its candidate. Party sources hinted that either Pranoy Sahu or Ripunath Seth would be chosen as the candidate.

On the other hand, sarpanch and samiti member of Gaisilat block under Bijepur constituency joined the BJD at the Naveen Niwas along with several people from the block on Sunday. "I welcome all those from the Gaisilat block who joined the party. It will strengthen the party further," said Naveen.