Puri: Governing Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate Rudrapratap Maharathy and Congress nominee Ajit Mangaraj on Tuesday filed their nomination papers for the bye- election in the Pipili Assembly seat in Odisha’s Puri district.
The bye-poll, to be held on 17 April, is necessitated by the death of Rudrapratap’s father Pradeep Maharathy in October 2020. He had represented Pipili in the Assembly seven times.
Accompanied by senior leaders and hundreds of supporters, Rudrapratap Maharathy filed his nomination papers in the Additional District Magistrate’s office in Puri.
Rudrapratap and his sister Pallavi broke into tears before starting for Puri from Pipili.
“My father had always been there for the people of Pipili. I will follow his footsteps and serve them. I am optimistic that people will bless me in the by-poll,” Rudrapratap said.
Congress candidate Ajit Mangaraj also filed his nomination paper at the ADM’s office.
He was accompanied by OPCC President Niranjan Patnaik and other senior leaders of the party, besides a large number of supporters.
“The Congress workers are excited about the upcoming election. It is going to be a good fight,” Mr.Mangaraj said.
CPI(ML-Liberation) candidate Ashok Kumar Pradhan also filed his nomination on Tuesday.
BJP nominee Ashrit Pattnayak has already filed his nomination papers for the by-election.
While polling will be held on 17 April, votes will be counted on 2 May.
The Bhartiya Janata Party on Tuesday announced the names of star campaigners for the Pipili bye-election scheduled on April 17
The leaders of the saffron party named in the list are Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Pratap Sarangi, Members of Parliament Aparajita Sarangi, Jual Oram, Ashwini Vaishnav, Basanta Panda, and Suresh Pujari.
State BJP President Samir Mohanty, national vice president Baijayant Panda, Spokesperson Sambit Patra, former Ministers KV Singhdeo, Bijay Mahapatra and Manmohan Samal feature in the list
Actors-turned-politicians Sritam Das, Pinky Pradhan and Anu Choudhary have been named in the list.
Governing BJD, which is trying to retain the seat, has entrusted the responsibility of campaigning in the constituency’s all panchayats to senior leaders, MLAs and leaders of Biju Chhatra Janata Dal, Biju Mahila Janata Dal.
