LIVE TV
Odisha
Photo: OTV 
Recommended Stories
Today being the last date for filing nomination papers for Padampur by-election, as many as 13 candidates filed their nomination papers at Padampur Sub-Collector’s office. The first seven days didn’t see any candidate turning up at the Padampur Sub-Collector’s office to file nomination papers. But on the last day, Thursday, candidates made a beeline to file nomination papers.
The first candidate to arrive at the Sub-Collector’s office to file nomination papers was Jayant Thappa. He is contesting the bypoll as an independent candidate.
Next, the Biju Janata Dal’s candidate Barsha Singh Bariha, elder daughter of late MLA Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha arrived at the office. Though no big rally was organised, Bariha was seen accompanied by senior leaders and members of the party's women's wing.
After filing her nomination papers, Barsha said, “I will try my level best to complete what my father dreamt for Padampur people.”
Then the grand old party, Congress’s candidate Satyabhushan Sahu turned up to file his nomination papers. A massive rally was taken out from the cattle market which culminated at a meeting near the recreation centre close to the Sub-Collector’s office. The meeting was attended by PCC president Sarat Patnaik, senior leader Narasingha Mishra, MLAs Santosh Singh Saluja and Adhiraj Panigrahi and several workers. The common thread in their speeches was acrimonious remarks against the state and central governments. Thereafter, Sahu filed his nomination papers.
In his reaction, Sahu said, “I have faith in the people of Padampur. They will elect me. None has done what I have done for them.”
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Pradip Purohit along with State President Samir Mohanty, MP Suresh Pujari, MLA Jayanarayan Mishra, and other leaders and workers turned up at the Padampur Sub-Collector’s office to file his nomination papers.
“This time, people will ask the 22-year-old government what they have done for the development of the area. The fight won’t be between the BJD and BJP. Rather, it will be between the BJD-led dispensation and the people of Padampur. The people will give the government a befitting reply in this by-election,” said Purohit.
After completion of nomination filing process which started at 11 am and continued till 3 pm, Bargarh Collector Manisha Banerjee informed, “A total of 13 candidates including political candidates and independent candidates filed their nomination papers today. With this, our nomination process came to an end.”
On the other hand, the farmers’ sit-in in front of the Sub-Collector’s office was found to be continued. The agitating farmers earlier requested the political parties to abstain from filing nomination papers. But on the last date for filing nomination, they all did what they had been requested not to do.
Upon this, the agitating farmers said none of the political parties are concerned about their problems. “No party is with the farmers. The farmers will fight their own fight. In the coming days, the agitation would be intensified and would spread to all constituencies,” rued Ajit Kumar Satapathy, legal advisor to Rajborasambar Krushak Sangathan.
While the scrutiny of nomination papers will be done on November 18, withdrawal of papers will be done on November 21. Similarly, the voting will take place on December 5 and the counting will be held on December 8.
The Padampur bypoll was necessitated due to the death of sitting MLA Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha on October 3.
(Reported by Somesh Mohanty from Padampur, OTV)
