Bhubaneswar: Congress on Saturday evening named Jay Narayan Patnaik as its candidate for the Puri Lok Sabha seat in Odisha after Sucharita Mohanty pulled out of the race, claiming that the occasion denied her funds for her marketing campaign.
In a press release issued by Congress normal secretary KC Venugopal, the occasion stated its president Mallikarjun Kharge permitted the candidature of Patnaik rather than Mohanty.
Sucharita Mohanty, the daughter of former Congress MP Brajamohan Mohanty, in a mail to Venugopal on Friday claimed that her marketing campaign was hit arduous as a result of the occasion denied her funding.
She alleged that Congress in-charge of the state Ajoy Kumar “categorically” requested her to battle from her personal sources.
“I used to be a salaried skilled journalist who entered electoral politics 10 years in the past. I’ve given all I’ve into my marketing campaign in Puri. I attempted a public donation drive to assist my marketing campaign for progressive politics with out a lot success to this point. I additionally tried to chop down the projected marketing campaign spending to the minimal,” she stated.
Mohanty stated that she approached all senior leaders of the occasion for funds.
“It’s clear that solely fund crunch is holding us again from a profitable marketing campaign in Puri. I remorse that with out occasion funding, it will not be potential to hold out the marketing campaign in Puri. I, subsequently, return the occasion ticket for the Puri Lok Sabha constituency herewith,” she stated in her mail.
Nonetheless, Mohanty stated she’s going to stay a loyal Congress employee.
Later, she informed reporters that in meeting segments below the Puri Lok Sabha constituency, weak candidates got tickets by the Congress.
“BJP and BJD are sitting on mountains of cash. Vulgar shows of wealth are in every single place. It was troublesome for me to battle the election,” she stated.
Reacting to her claims, Kumar stated, “Funds might be offered to a candidate when the candidate launches the marketing campaign and severely fights on the floor.”
The BJP has fielded its nationwide spokesperson Sambit Patra in Puri, whereas the BJD candidate is ex-IPS Arup Patnaik, a former Mumbai Police commissioner. Puri will vote on Might 25.
