Congress finalizes candidates for Odisha by-elections
BHUBANESWAR: The Congress on Monday named Mamata Kundu and Himanshu Bhusan Mallick as the party nominees for November 3 by-elections to Balasore Sadar and Tirtol assembly constituencies.
Though the Congress had performed miserably in the 2019 assembly elections at those two seats, party state president Niranjan Patnaik has exuded confidence of good show this time. “I am certain we will emerge victorious. Congratulations to both the candidates and all the best,” Niranjan tweeted minutes after the All India Congress Committee finalized the duo’s candidatures.
Names of the candidates were announced five days after newly appointed All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Odisha A Chellakumar visited Bhubaneswar on October 7 and drew the roadmap ahead of the by-polls.
Party sources said Kundu had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Balasore seat on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ticket. She had managed to secure only 2,664 votes. In the run-up to the 2019 elections, she was seen campaigning with some BJD leaders in Balasore. Sources said she joined the Congress a few months ago.
“I am hopeful of getting the blessings of the people of Balasore in the by-election. The constituency can see major developments only if Congress is voted to power,” Kundu told media persons.
Mallick, the party candidate for Tirtol, is an IT engineer and worked for several years in Dubai. “He is a young and educated candidate. People of Tirtol should give him a chance to serve,” a Congress leader said.
Notably, the party had made Manas Ranjan Das Pattanaik as its candidate for Balasore Sadar assembly seat in 2019. Pattanaik polled only 19704 votes and was placed at third position after BJP’s winning candidate Madan Mohan Dutta (74815 votes) and BJD’s Jiban Pradip Dash (61409 votes).
In the 2019 polls at Tirtol assembly constituency, Congress candidate Debi Prasad Mallick had managed to secure only 23804 votes. BJD’s Bishnu Charan Das won the seat by bagging 93967 votes. BJP candidate Ramakanta Bhoi had stood second with 53,581 votes.