Kandhamal bypolls: Ind candidate withdraws, seven in fray

Phulbani: Seven candidates remain in the fray for the October 15 by-election to the Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat with one independent candidate withdrawing his nomination paper here on Monday.

"Samir Kumar Kar, an independent candidate, withdrew his papers leaving a total of seven candidates in the fray," an official at the District Election Officer said.

Though nine candidates had filed their nomination papers for the by-election being conducted following the sudden demise of BJD MP Hemendra Chandra Singh, the candidature of one independent candidate was earlier rejected during scrutiny.

Therefore, a total of seven candidates including two independent nominees remained in the fray for the by-elections, they said.

Those left in the race are Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh (BJD), Rudra Madhav Ray (BJP), Abhimanyu Behera (Congress), Mahammad Ziauddin Ahamed (Indian Citizen's Party), Kulamani Urma (Pashimanchala Vikash Party), Birendra Kumar Gouda and Jalandhar Kanhar (both Independents).