The All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Wednesday formally announced the name of former Phulbani MlA Abhimanyu Behera as the party candidate for the Kandhamal lok Sabha by-election scheduled to be held on October 15.
Party sources said the AICC preferred Behera’s candidature as he belongs to the Kandhamal area of the Parliamentary constituency and has influence all over the constituency.
Earlier, the ruling BJD had named Pratyusha Rajeswari, widow of deceased incumbent Kandhamal MP Hemendra Chandra Singh, as its nominee for the seat while the BJP has fielded former Kandhamal MP Rudra Madhab Ray.
Notably, the Kandhamal Parliamentary constituency consists of seven Assembly segments, Phulbani (ST), G Udaygiri (ST), Balliguda (ST), Boudh, Bhanjanagar, Daspalla and Kantamal.