Bhubaneswar, Oct 7: The Congress party on Tuesday named Ghasiram Majhi as its candidate for the upcoming by-election to the Nuapada Assembly constituency in Odisha, officials said .

Nuapada Bypoll

The Election Commission of India has scheduled the poll for November 11, with results to be declared on November 14. The bypoll was necessitated by the death of sitting BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia on September 8 due to health-related issues.

Majhi Returns After Independent Run in 2024
Majhi, a seasoned political figure in Nuapada, had contested the 2024 Assembly election independently after being denied a Congress ticket. Despite running solo, he secured 50,941 votes, finishing second behind BJD’s Rajendra Dholakia. The BJP’s Abhinandan Panda, son of former MP Basant Panda, came third with 44,814 votes, while Congress nominee and then OPCC president Sarat Pattnayak managed just 15,501 votes.

Majhi has a long-standing presence in the constituency, having contested from Nuapada in 2014 and 2019, finishing third and second respectively. His re-entry as the Congress candidate signals the party’s intent to reclaim lost ground in western Odisha.

Awaiting Rivals’ Announcements
While Congress has made its move, both the ruling BJP and main opposition BJD are yet to announce their candidates. The bypoll is expected to be a tightly contested affair, with Majhi’s local popularity and electoral history adding weight to his candidature.

Following Dholakia’s demise, the BJD’s strength in the 147-member Odisha Assembly has dropped to 50 MLAs, while the BJP holds 78 seats, Congress 14, CPI(M) one, and three Independents.

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