Bhubaneswar, October 15: Congress candidate Ghasiram Majhi filed his nomination papers for the upcoming Nuapada Assembly by-election on Wednesday. Accompanied by Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Bhakta Charan Das and other senior party leaders, Majhi submitted his documents before the Returning Officer in Nuapada.

Majhi, who had previously contested the 2024 Assembly election from Nuapada as an Independent after being denied a Congress ticket, secured over 51,900 votes and finished second. In contrast, Congress's then state president, Sharat Pattnaik, garnered just over 15,000 votes.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced Jay Dholkia as its candidate for the by-election. Jay Dholkia is the son of the late Rajendra Dholkia, a four-time MLA from Nuapada. Dholkia, along with his supporters, joined the BJP on October 11.

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the principal opposition party in the state, has fielded Snehangini Chhuria as its candidate for the by-election. Initially, the BJD had planned to nominate Jay Dholkia to leverage sympathy votes. However, his shift to the BJP prompted the party to rethink its strategy.

The deadline for filing nominations is October 20, with scrutiny set for October 22. Candidates will have until October 24 to withdraw their nominations.