Bhubaneswar, 15 October (H.S.) : Congress leader Ghasiram Majhi on Wednesday filed his nomination papers for the upcoming Nuapada Assembly by-election. Majhi submitted his nomination before the Returning Officer in the presence of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das and several senior party workers.

Majhi, who had contested the 2024 Assembly elections as an Independent candidate, had then finished second, securing around 51,000 votes with strong backing from local tribal associations.

In the 2024 polls, Majhi was among the key contenders for a Congress ticket but was denied one. The party had instead fielded its then state president Sarat Pattanayak as the candidate.

The Nuapada bypoll is scheduled to be held on November 11, with counting of votes on November 14. The last date for filing nominations is October 20, while scrutiny of papers will take place on October 22. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until October 24.

The by-election was necessitated following the demise of sitting BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia, a former minister and four-time legislator from Nuapada, who passed away on September 8, 2025, at the age of 69.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda