In Odisha, Congress candidate Ajit Mangaraj, contesting the bye-election to the Pipili assembly seat, passed away this afternoon. According to media reports, he was infected with COVID-19 and was under treatment in a hospital in capital Bhubaneswar for the last few days. <br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">His demise comes barely three days before the date of polling on the 17th of this month. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in his reaction to the media in Bhubaneswar a short while ago, has expressed grief over the demise of the Congress candidate.</span><br />