BJP’s Jay, Cong’s Ghasiram file papers for Nuapada by-poll

Nuapada: The candidates of the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress on Saturday filed their nomination papers for the by-election to the Nuapada Assembly seat in Odisha.

The BJP candidate Jay Dholakia and the Congress nominee Ghasiram Majhi submitted two sets of papers each, an official said.

Accompanied by State BJP president Manmohan Samal, ministers Rabinarayan Naik and Ganesh R Singhkhuntia, and a number of party MLAs, Dholakia reached the District Collector’s office to submit his papers, leading a procession.

The procession, which saw the participation of hundreds of people, started from Khariar Road and touched various parts of the town before culminating near the Collector’s office.

Ghasiram, a prominent tribal leader, also reached the Collector’s office, leading a massive procession. He filed the nomination papers in the presence of State Congress president Bhakta Charan Das, former minister Suresh Routray, and several senior party leaders.

Ghasiram, who contested as an Independent candidate in the seat in last year’s Assembly polls after being denied a Congress ticket, had bagged the second position by securing around 51,000 votes. The then State Congress president Sarat Pattanayak was the party candidate in the seat and had finished fourth in the race.

The BJD had bagged the seat, while the BJP came third. The by-poll was necessitated following the death of BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia, whose son Jay is this time the BJP candidate.

So far, five candidates have submitted nomination papers for the by-poll, scheduled to be held on November 14. The BJD candidate, Snehangiri Chhuria, will file her nomination papers on the last date on Monday. The scrutiny of papers will be conducted on October 22, and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 24. The votes will be counted on November 14.