Pranaya Sahu is Congress candidate for Bijepur bypoll

Bhubaneswar: Putting all speculations to rest, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Sunday named Pranaya Sahu as the candidate for the Bijepur by-poll scheduled to be held on February 24.

Pranaya Sahu is Congress Vice Chairman of Gaisilet Block in Bargarh district.

“The Congress president, Rahul Gandhi, has approved the candidature of Pranaya Sahu as Congress candidate for the ensuing by-election to the Legislative Assembly of Odisha from Bijepur Assembly Constituency,” said Oscar Fernades, in-charge of Central Election Committee of Congress.

Notably, a six-member committee headed by former Chief Minister Hemananda Biswal was formed on January 27 to submit a report to the high command recommending names of suitable candidates for the by-poll.

The committee had recommended the name of Pranaya Sahu and former MLA Ripunath Seth (elected to the Assembly in 1995 from Bijepur).

Congress, the party which held the Bijepur assembly seat for three consecutive times since 2004, is eyeing to retain the seat after the untimely demise of Subal Sahu.