Bhubaneswar: Kailash Kulesika, the BJP candidate for Laxmipur Assembly constituency in Odisha’s Koraput district, has accused BJD candidate Prabhu Jani of getting the party ticket after paying a huge amount of money.
Kulesika, who joined BJP after quitting BJD three days back, was rewarded by the saffron party with the ticket on Tuesday. He was elected from Laxmipur on Congress ticket in 2014 but lost to Jani in 2019.
Kulesika told the media that he had left Congress to join BJD as he was assured of the party ticket in this election. But the ruling party betrayed him by allocating the seat to Jani, he alleged.
“I had lost the last election to Jani by only 229 votes and filed a case in this regard. I withdrew the case after being assured of the party ticket by BJD in 2024 elections,” Kulesika said.
“But BJD betrayed me and nominated Jani after the he brokered a deal for Rs 5-6 crore. When I raised my voice, the BJD offered me a party post with an allurement of Rs 1 crore. But I turned down the offer as I have been people’s leader and want to serve them in the field,” he added.
Stating that as a man from Adivasi community, he had self-pride and could not be lured by the money. “If I had remained silent towards injustice to me by taking money from BJD, I would have carried the stigma on my character for the entire life which my conscience did not allow.” he said.
The former MLA also said he has been fighting for the rights of the tribal people and expressed optimism that he would win the elections for BJP as he was the son of the soil unlike Jani who belongs to Koraput and has no connection with the problems of his constituency.
Neither Jani nor BJD has issued any statement or clarification on the allegation of Kulesika.
