With the demise of Congress MlA Subal Sahu, a by-election in the Bijepur constituency in Bargarh district is to be held in six months as statutorily required.
The Congress having lost its veteran, who won from the constituency three times in a row since 2004 defying the pro-BJD wave, may be in a quandary to find a similar redoubtable candidate to retain the seat.
Sahu was the only Congress representative among the five legislators of the district, the other four being three of the BJD and one of the BJP.
According to political observers, the by-poll fight would be mainly between the BJD and the BJP since the Congress would be handicapped not only for the absence of a leader of Sahu’s strength and stature but for the party’s overall weakening position in a situation of the BJP surging as the main opposition force in the State.
With Sahu’s death, the strength of the Congress in the Assembly has come down to 15.
If the BJP wins the by-poll, the party would have a big morale booster and emerge as a more formidable challenger for power to the BJD ahead of the next crucial general elections scheduled in 2019.