A total of 19 candidates have filed their nomination papers for the upcoming November 11 bypoll to the Nuapada assembly constituency, as stated on Monday by the chief electoral office (CEO) of Odisha.
Of these 19 candidates, eight are from various political parties, while the remaining 11 are contesting as independents, said the CEO in a statement.
The candidates who have filed nominations on behalf of their respective parties are Snehangini Chhuria (Biju Janata Dal), Jay Dholakia (Bharatiya Janata Dal), Ghasiram Majhi (Congress), Ramakant Hati (Samajwadi Party), Hemant Thandi (Bahujan Mukti Party), Raja Ram Sahu (Bahujan Samaj Party), Shukadhar Dandasena (Odisha Janata Dal), and Sitaram Behera (Rashtriya Parivartan Dal).
The 11 independent candidates are Ashrya Mahanand, Engineer Chakrant Jena, Purushottam Behera, Kamal Kumar Chhatria, Bhubanlal Sahu, Lochan Majhi, Bhujbal Adbong, Kishore Kumar Baga, Bhakta Bandhu Dharua, Neeta Baga, and Laxmi Kant Tandi.
The last date for the withdrawal of nominations is October 24 (Friday).
BJD’s Chhuria was the final candidate among the major parties to submit her nomination on Monday.
Accompanied by senior party leaders and MLAs, including the opposition chief whip in the assembly, Pramila Mallik, Chhuria submitted her documents at the sub-collector’s office in Nuapada district.
Before formally filing her nomination papers, she paid her respects and offered prayers at the Lord Shiva temple located in Telipada, Nuapada.
The bypoll was necessitated following the death of the sitting BJD MLA, Rajendra Dholakia, in September.
The BJD chose to back Chhuria, a former minister and two-term MLA from Attabira in the neighboring Baragarh district, particularly after late Rajendra Dholakia’s son, Jay, decided to join the BJP.
