With the Dhamnagar bypoll inching closer, the BJP on Sunday declared Suryabanshi Suraj as its candidate. The BJP is looking to retain the seat after the passing away of Suraj’s father and sitting MLA Bishnu Sethi.
Earlier, the party was in a fix as a section of the Bhadrak district was opposing his candidature. But, by getting Suraj in their fold, the party is making an aggressive move to win the bypoll.
After his father Bishnu Sethi’s health deteriorated, Suraj was looking after the constituency and had become a familiar face with the constituents. Furthermore, he has the advantage of sympathy votes over other candidates, the party leaders assume.
BJP’s Odisha Prabhari D Purandeswari, party state president Sameer Mohanty and other top leaders have already camped in Bhadrak to oversee the BJP’s bypoll preparations.
“I am sure that my father’s blessings and people’s love will help us win the election again,” said Suryabanshi Suraj.
On the other hand, there is plenty of problem for BJD as there are many aspirants.
So far, at least 7 candidates are said to be on the front line to grab the party ticket for the election. The aspirants include former MLA Rajendra Das, Muktikanta Mondal, newcomer Dr Sanjay Das, BJP’s 2014 Bhadrak Lok Sabha candidate Sarat Das and Spandan Mallick.
While Rajendra Das, who lost the 2019 election to Sethi by a slender margin, is stated to be the favourite of the party, many others are in favour of medical practitioner Dr Sanjay Das, a resident of Tihidi block.
On the other side, Congress seemed to be holding on to the picture just to survive in the poll battleground.
Worth mentioning, 31 panchayats in Dhamnagar block, 13 GPs in Tihidi block and 11 wards under the newly constituted Dhamnagar NAC will exercise their adult franchise to elect the new MLA on November 3. The counting of votes and result will be declared on November 6.
(Reporter: Partha Sarathi Nayak, OTV)