Congress’ Puri MP Candidate Sucharita Mohanty Returns Ticket; Party Responds

Puri: Congress’ candidate for Puri Lok Sabha seat Sucharita Mohanty has declined to contest the upcoming elections in Odisha, citing lack of funding from the cash-strapped party.

In a letter to AICC general secretary (Organisation), K C Venugopal, she said that campaigning in Puri parliamentary constituency has been hit hard in absence of funding. “AICC Odisha In-Charge Dr Ajoy Kumar Ji categorically asked me to fend for myself. I was a salaried professional journalist who entered electoral politics 10 years ago. I have given all I have into my campaign in Puri. I tried a public donation drive to support my campaign for progressive politics without much success so far.”

“It is clear that only fund crunch is holding us back from a winning campaign in Puri. I regret that without party funding, it won’t be possible to carry out the campaign in Puri. I, therefore, return the INC ticket for the Puri Parliamentary Constituency herewith,” she added.

This came two days before the deadline for filing of nomination for Puri, which will go to polls in the third round elections on May 25. Sucharita has not filed her nomination yet.

Later speaking to a local channel, she said it had become impossible for her to fight the upcoming elections without funds amid the vulgar display of wealth by the ruling party. “Besides, weak candidates have been deliberately fielded in the seven Assembly seats under my Parliamentary constituency. I even urged the party to change four Assembly candidates. The party told me to fight the election on my own….”

Sucharita had finished second in the 2014 elections, which BJD’s Pinaki Misra won by over 2 lakh votes.

Later speaking to the media, Congress Odisha in-charge Ajoy Kumar said that they already had plans to change the MP candidate in Puri and a recommendation for the same was sent to AICC on Friday. He also rubbished the allegation that the party has fielded weak candidates in the Assembly seat under the parliamentary constituency. “We have fielded best candidates after a thorough scrutiny,” he said, while refusing to comment on the funding allegation.