BJD names Barsha Singh Bariha as candidate for Padampur by-poll
BJD names Barsha Singh Bariha as candidate for Padampur by-poll
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Bhubaneswar: The BJD on Monday nominated Barsha Singh Bariha, daughter of late MLA Bijaya Ranjan Singh Bariha, as its candidate for the Padampur by-election, which is set for December 5.
Notably, three family members of Bariha, whose death forced the byelection, were contending for the party ticket. Aside from Barsha, the widow of legislator Tilottama Singh and her younger daughter Kadambini were interested in running in the byelection. The name of an OAS officer assigned in Nuapada district as a possible BJD candidate was also being circulated.
The BJP and Congress have already announced their candidates for the bye-election, Pradip Purohit and Satya Bhusan Sahu. On the other hand, the BJD has been treading carefully in the aftermath of the Dhamnagar bypoll catastrophe. Binjhal Samaj members who met the party supremo on Sunday at Naveeen Niwas also urged for a candidate from the family.
By fielding Barsha, a 29-year-old MA, LLB, the party wants to capitalise on the sympathy wave while also attracting the female demographic, which has traditionally voted for it. She is, however, a newcomer among the contenders, with both the BJP and the Congress fielding veteran MLAs for the byelection.
"I was issued a ticket as a result of my father's development efforts." I'll concentrate on women's empowerment. "I will attempt to implement all I have learned from my father for the sake of the people," added Barsha, who is expected to register her nomination on November 16.
It would also be intriguing to see how Padampur responds to her candidacy, which has a history of voting for no single party for two consecutive terms.
The BJD won the seat in 2000, 2009, and 2019, while Purohit won on a BJP ticket in 2014 and Congress' Sahu in 2004. Purohit was defeated by a margin of 5,734 votes in 2019, while the Congress finished third.
