Disgruntled BJD leader Rajendra Das files nomination as independent candidate
Disgruntled BJD leader Rajendra Das files nomination as independent candidate
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Bhubaneswar: Rajendra Kumar Das, a former lawmaker, has declared his candidacy as an Independent in the impending Dhamnagar by-election in defiance of the governing Biju Janata Dal (BJD). He informed the reporters on Friday morning that he will soon be submitting his nomination paperwork.
"A group conspired against me, and I lost the 2019 elections by a razor-thin margin (against Bishnu Charan Sethi of the BJP). In order to serve Dhamnagar, I would run in the by-election with the support of the people, especially the elders, he said reporters as he led a procession to submit the nomination papers.
Sethi triumphed over Das in 2019 by a margin of 4,625 votes. His passing calls for a byelection on November 3. The deadline to submit nomination papers is this Friday. "People are sympathetic toward me. I'm sure we'll win, Das stated.
After Abanti Das, the chairperson of Tihidi block, was selected by the BJD hierarchy as their candidate for the byelection on Wednesday, Das made the decision to leave his party. The same day, Das declared Abanti to be his relative and promised to help her in Bhubaneswar in front of party leaders. But after seeing his followers in Dhamnagar and returning there, he seemed to have changed his mind.
With Suryavanshi Suraj of the BJP and Baba Harekrushna Sethi of the Congress in the race, the Dhamnagar by-election would become more exciting with Das' involvement. Later on in the day, Abanti Das of the BJD will submit her paperwork for nomination. The father of Suryavanshi is Bishnu Sethi.
However, senior BJD executives are reportedly attempting to persuade Das to drop out of the race because his candidacy could harm the ruling party's chances. Abanti has been linked to women's self-help organisations, therefore the BJD is trying to steal the Dhamnagar seat from the BJP by playing the female card. According to party sources, Das might be given a job in the government or at a PSU in exchange for quitting the race.
