Pranaya Sahu Congress candidate for Bijepur bypoll in Odisha

Congress today announced Pranaya Sahu as its candidate for the Bijepur Assembly bypoll, scheduled on February 24.
The Congress president Rahul Gandhi has approved the candidature of Pranaya Sahu as the party candidate for the ensuing bypoll from Bijepur Assembly Constituency, an AICC press release said.
Sahu is currently the vice chairman of Gaisilet Block in Bargarh district.
A six-member committee headed by former Chief Minister Hemananda Biswal was formed on January 27 to submit report to the high command recommending names of suitable candidates for the bypoll.
Names of former MLA Ripunath Seth and Sahu had been recommended to the AICC.

The bypoll has been necessitated following the death of Subal Sahu on August 22. Sahu had won from the constituency for three consecutive times in 2004, 2009 and 2014 on a Congress ticket.

Former BJD MLA Ashok Panigrahi has filed his nomination as a BJP candidate for the upcoming bypoll.
Though the ruling BJD has named Subal Sahu's widow Rita Sahu as its candidate, she has not yet filed her nomination papers.
The last date for filing nominations is February 6.