Congress candidate for the by-election to the Pipili Assembly constituency in Puri district Ajit Mangaraj died of Covid-19 on Wednesday, as a result of which the by-poll scheduled on April 17 was adjourned.
State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sushil Lohani said a new date for the by-election necessitated by the death of incumbent BJD MLA Pradeep Maharathy would be scheduled by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Lohani said a report has been sought from the Puri district Returning Officer and the report would be then sent to the ECI.
A fresh notification for the by-poll would be issued soon. Meanwhile, the high-pitch campaigning for the by-poll came to an abrupt end with the death of Managaraj, who had tested positive for Covid last week.
The BJD had fielded Late Maharathy’s son Rudra Pratap Maharathy while the BJP had repeated its candidate for the 2019 general elections in Pipili, Ashrit Pattnayak. Mangaraj had also unsuccessfully contested on a Congress ticket in 2019. Mangaraj, who was 52, died at the Apollo Hospital in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday afternoon. He was under treatment of a multidisciplinary team of doctors.
Leaders cutting across the party lines expressed their grief over Mangaraj’s death.“I am saddened to hear about death of Congress candidate Ajit Magaraj,” said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal also condoled the death. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who visited the hospital where the Congress leader died, said, “Ajit Mangaraj was a close aide to me and a man of positive thinking.”
Union Minister Pratap Chandra Sarangi also expressed his grief over Mangaraj’s demise. Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik said, “Ajit Mangaraj was a strong organiser and was popular among masses in Pipili.”