Pipli: Congress candidate Bishwokeshan Harichandan Mohapatra today filed his nomination for ensuing bypoll to Pipili assembly constituency in Puri district.
Mohapatra along with other party supporters took out a rally from Puri Congress Bhawan with strict compliance of Covid-19 restrictions and submitted his nomination papers at the office of the Additional Collector.
Earlier, Ajit Mangaraj, the president of Puri District Congress, was the candidate for the Pipili by-election. However, he succumbed to COVID-19 infection on March 14th.
Following this, the by-election, which was scheduled for April 17, was postponed. The Odisha Chief Electoral Officer later announced May 13 as the date for bypoll. But due to Eid-ul-Fitr on the same day, the Election Commission again rescheduled the Pipili bypoll to May 16 and counting of votes on May 19.
The bypoll to Pipili assembly seat was necessitated following the death of sitting BJD MLA Pradeep Maharathy.
Congress candidate for Pipili bypoll, Bishwokeshan Harichandan Mohapatra is a resident of Jharpada village in Rengal gram panchayat under Delang block of Puri district. The 44-year-old politician has long been associated with Congress. A lawyer by profession, Bishwokeshan Harichandan is currently the Chief Organiser of the Puri District Congress.
