Bargarh: With September 30 being the last day for filing nominations for Bijepur by-election, candidates of BJD, BJP and Congress filed their nominations Monday.
BJD’s candidate Reeta Sahu, BJP’s candidate Sanat Kumar Gartia and Congress’s pick up Dillip Panda came with their followers in separate processions and filed their nominations at the returning officer cum Sub Collector.
Bijepur is going to poll October 21 and counting of votes will be held October 24.
Notably, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had contested and won from Bijepur and Hinjli seats in the Assembly elections 2019. Later he retained Hinjli seat from where he has been winning since 2000 in a row and resigned from Bijepur seat, necessitating for by-poll there.
Notably, the Bijepur seat is heading for a third electoral battle in less than two years since 2018. The seat had gone to by-poll in 2018, general election in 2019 and by-poll is again on the cards.
In the previous election, Naveen had contested from Bijepur seat and secured 1,10,604 votes while BJP’s Sanat Kumar Gartia was in second position with 53,482 votes and Congress’s Ripunath Seth got only 14,344 votes.
PNN