Nominations of eight candidates found valid in Kandhamal

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar, Sep 27: The nomination papers of as many as eight candidates were found valid for forthcoming by-poll in Kandhamal Lok Sabha constituency after nomination papers of an independent candidate were rejected during scrutiny on Saturday.According to official sources, nine candidates had filed nomination papers, and nomination papers of independent aspirant Subhendu Kumar Behera were rejected by the Returning Officer for the by-poll in Phulbani.September 29 has been fixed as the date for withdrawal of nomination papers after which the final list of contestants for the seat will be published.Among the eight candidates whose papers were found to be in order include the three major contenders for the seat – Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh of Biju Janata Dal, Abhimanyu Behera of Congress and Rudra Madhab Ray of Bharatiya Janata Party.The five other candidates whose nomination papers were found valid are; Sameer Kumar Kar, Independent; Mahammad Ziauddin Ahamed, Indian Citizen’s Party; Birendra Kumar Gouda, Independent; Jalandhar Kanhar, Independent; and Kulamani Urma, Pashimanchala Vikash Party.The by-poll is scheduled to be held on October 15.