Will This BJP ‘Bahu’ Turned BJD Candidate Shine In Padampur Bypoll?

Padampur: After the Odisha ruling, BJD fielded Barsha Singh Bariha, Padampur by-election has now become an ‘intra-family’ poll battleground.

Late MLA Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha’s elder daughter Barsha is also the daughter-in-law of senior BJP leader and former MLA Rama Baliarsingh.

Meanwhile, questions are arising from several corners over BJD’s alleged inclination toward the saffron party at the Center.

While BJD leaders clarified that the conch party’s candidate selection was based on intricate permutations and combinations, BJP leaders said that the ruling party used Barsha’s husband’s name deliberately to take political advantage.

Apart from being a greenhorn and a woman, Barsha will get a sympathy vote, the BJD leaders said.

It is pertinent to be mentioned here that earlier BJD, while announcing its candidate for the Dhamnagar by-poll on October 12, had just mentioned: “Tihidi block chairperson Smt Abanti Das is the BJD candidate for Dhamnagar by-election.

And now, after naming Barsha, a part of the veteran BJP leader’s family, for the Padampur by-election, BJD seems to have created an invisible ‘yes’ link with the saffron party.

Barsha is pitted against two heavyweights like BJP’s ex-MLA Pradip Purohit and Congress nominee and three-time lawmaker Satya Bhusan Sahu.

The last date for filing nomination papers is November 17 while scrutiny of the papers will be held on November 18. The last date for withdrawing candidature is November 21.