Sambalpur, May 2: Union Minister and BJP candidate from Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat, Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday filed his nomination papers.
Pradhan filed his paper before the Sambalpur Collector and Returning Officer. Several BJP Leaders were present during his filing of papers.
Before filing his nomination papers, Pradhan visited Samaleswari Temple to seek the blessings of the presiding deity and then headed out in a huge rally to file nomination papers along with BJP Sambalpur MLA Candidate Jaynarayan Mishra and BJP Rengali MLA Candidate Nauri Nayak.
Despite the sweltering heat, the rally for the BJP leaders saw local residents turning out in thousands.
Pradhan is set to contest elections for Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat against BJD’s candidate Pranab Prakash Das and Congress’s candidate Nagendra Pradhan.
Assembly and Lok Sabha elections will be held simultaneously in Odisha in four phases from May 13 to June 1. The results will be out on June 4.