By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, October 12, 2022: The ruling Biju Janata Dal and the opposition Congress in Odisha on Wednesday announced candidates for the November 3 Dhamnagar Assembly by-election.

The BJD, headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, decided to field a woman candidate, Abanti Das, from the seat in Bhadrak district. She is a party leader in Tihidi Block.

The announcement was made by the ruling party barely three hours after the Congress named Baba Harekrushna Sethi, an advocate, as its nominee.

The by-poll was necessitated after the demise of BJP MLA Bishnu Charan Das on September 19.

BJP candidate Suryabanshi Suraj, the son of Bishnu Charan Das, already filed his nomination papers on Tuesday.

The BJD in a statement said Abanti Das has a long experience in women self-help groups under the Mission Shakti programme. Though all three candidates have experience in politics, they will be contesting an assembly election for the first time.

Ms Das said she is indebted to party president Naveen Patnaik for reposing faith in her.

Former MLA Rajendra Das, who was at the forefront of the race for party ticket, said: “I will fully support and ensure the victory of the BJD candidate in Dhamnagar. I have no remorse for not being a candidate this time.” Earlier during the day, the Congress in a press note issued by Mukul Wasnik, AICC general secretary in charge of the party’s Central Election Committee, had announced Mr Sethi’s name.

Mr Sethi has thanked Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and OPCC president Sarat Pattnayak for nominating him as the party candidate for the Dhamnagar by-poll.

Mentioning that he is not new to politics, Mr Sethi told reporters, “I am in politics since my student days.”