Notification released for Dhamnagar bypoll, check important dates

The Office of Sub-Collector Bhadrak on Friday released the notification for the bypoll to the Dhamnagar Assembly constituency. The untimely demise of BJP MLA Bishnu Charan Sethi has necessitated the by-election.

The last date for filing nominations by candidates is October 14. Candidates can file their nomination at the Block Development Office (BDO) between 11 am and 3 pm.

Similarly, October 15 and October 17 have been scheduled as the date for scrutiny of nominations and the last date for withdrawal of candidatures, respectively. 

The voting will be conducted on November 3 from 7 am to 6 pm. The counting of votes and announcement of results will be done on November 6, 2022.

On the other hand, no parties have so far announced names of their candidates. However, reports are making rounds that the BJD may select one among its former MLAs Rajendra Das and Muktikanta Mondal, and Dr Sanjay Das and former chairman of Dhamnagar block Ashok Nayak.

While Sanjay Das is a new face, Rajendra Das was MLA from the Assembly constituency in 2009 and had unsuccessfully contested the seat in 2019. Similarly, Muktikanta Mondal was the MLA of the constituency in 2014, and his wife is the current MP from Bhadrak Parliamentary constituency.

Similarly, while the Congress Dhamnagar candidate in 2019, Bidyadhar Jena is hopeful of getting the party ticket, senior party leader Ananta Sethy and his daughter Madhumita Sethy are also said to be in the race for ticket.

Meanwhile, the BJP is reportedly ready to fight the bypoll by naming Suryabansi Suraj, son of Bishnu Sethi, as the party's candidate for Dhamnagar by-election.