Quitting of the Bijepur Assembly constituency by BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has fuelled a speculation as to whether the BJD will field last-time MLA Rita Sahu to fight the by-poll from the seat. Rita had successfully contested the by-poll from the seat on a BJD ticket in February 2018 after death of her MLA husband Subal Sahu in 2017.
But in 2019, the BJD supremo fought polls from the seat, apart from Hinjili Assembly constituency, on the request of his party leaders of western Odisha. He won both the seats by margin of big numbers of votes. On Sunday, he announced to vacate the Bijepur seat. While Patnaik announced a special package for Bijepur on the second day of assuming office, his announcement to quit the seat has fueled a discussion as to who would be the BJD candidate to fight by-poll from the seat.
Political observers are of the view that Rita might be Patnaik’s first choice even if there are many aspirants to fight the Bijepur by-poll on a BJD ticket.