Kandhamal has seven contenders

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar, Sep 29: Kandhamal Lok Sabha constituency in Odisha, which is scheduled to go to polls on October 15, will have seven contestants vying for victory.Seven candidates remained in the fray after Sameer Kumar Kar, an independent candidate, withdrew his nomination papers on the date of withdrawal of nomination papers on Monday.The seat is set to witness a triangular contest involving Biju Janata Dal nominee Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh, Congress nominee Abhimanyu Behera and Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Rudra Madhab Ray.The other candidates who are in the fray are Mahammad Ziauddin Ahamed, Indian Citizen’s Party; Birendra Kumar Gouda, Independent; Jalandhar Kanhar, Independent; and Kulamani Urma, Pashimanchala Vikash Party.The by-poll was necessitated following the sudden demise of sitting BJD MP Hemendra Chandra Singh on September 5.Meanwhile, Chief Electoral Officer of Odisha Mona Sharma held an all-party meeting in Bhubaneswar and apprised the leaders of different parties about the model code of conduct.On the other hand, campaigning for the by-poll has started in full swing with scores of leaders of BJD, Congress and BJP camping in Kandhamal.