This story is from September 30, 2020

Balasore Sadar, Tirtol bypoll on November 3

Balasore Sadar and Tirtol are among the 54 assembly seats across the country where byelection will be held on November 3, the Election Commission of India said on Tuesday. Counting will be held on November 10.
Balasore Sadar, Tirtol bypoll on November 3
Picture used for representational purpose only
BHUBANESWAR: Balasore Sadar and Tirtol are among the 54 assembly seats across the country where byelection will be held on November 3, the Election Commission of India said on Tuesday. Counting will be held on November 10.
Bypoll in the two constituencies was necessitated following the death of Balasore Sadar MLA Manmohan Dutta of the BJP and Tirtol legislator Bishnu Charan Das of the BJD. While Dutta passed away in June, Das died a month later.
Political parties in the state have geared up to finalise candidates and start campaigning amid the pandemic.

The byelection is a prestige battle for the BJD and the BJP, with both desperate to retain their respective seats. The Congress, too, is hoping to give a fight.
The Balasore Sadar assembly segment is part of Balasore Lok Sabha seat represented by Union minister Pratap Chandra Sarangi. The saffron party is weighing various options, including fielding Manmohan’s son Manas from there. There are a number of aspirants for the BJD ticket though former MLA Jiban Pradip Dash is considered to be the front-runner.
In Tirtol, Raj Kishore Behera, who unsuccessfully contested the 2009 and 2014 assembly elections on a Congress ticket, have recently joined the BJP and is among those in the race for a ticket from the party.
BJD insiders said the party is considering various options such as fielding Bijay Sankar, son of Bishnu Charan. Others in the race include former MP Kulamani Samal and Minati Behera, the chairperson of the state women’s commission.
EoM
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