LS Polls In Odisha: Waiting For Party Order, Says BJP’s Bargarh MP After Not Getting Renomination

Bhubaneswaer: Odisha’s senior BJP leader and Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari on Thursday said he was ready to take up any responsibility assigned to him after the party did not renominate him for the Lok Sabha elections from the constituency.

Speaking at press meet in Jharsuguda, Pujari said he has been a disciplined worker of the BJP for his entire political career and would continue to do so.

“I have been assigned several responsibilities by the party time to time. I have been given the posts of state president and national secretary which I have carried out to my capabilities. I have also worked for the party in different capacities in other states,” he said.

Stating that selection of candidates is the entire responsibility of the Central leaders, the BJP MP said he would continue to serve the people of the state in the role assigned by them.

It may be noted that the BJP replaced Pujari with its former MLA from Padampur in the district Pradeep Purohit in the list of candidates for Lok Sabha elections released on March 24.

Purohit had contested the by-election to Padampur seat held on December 5 and lost to BJD candidate. Purohit had unsuccessfully contested from the constituency on BJP ticket in 2009. However, he had defeated BJD candidate in 2014 elections by a margin of over 4,500 votes. In 2019, Purohit again lost the poll to BJD nominee Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha by a margin of over 5000 votes.