Tension Prevails As Supporters Of Rival Candidates On Way To File Nominations Come Face To Face In Puri

Puri: Palpable tension prevailed in Odisha’s Puri town on Monday when the supporters of rival candidates – Sujit Mohapatra and Uma Ballav Rath – came face to face during filing of nomination papers.

Congress candidate Rath along with his hundreds of supporters went in a bullock-cart rally to file the nomination papers for Puri Sada Assembly seat. At the same time, Mohapatra also took out his rally on the way to file the papers as an Independent candidate.

The Congress had initially nominated Mohapatra as its candidate for the seat. But the party dropped his name and announced Rath as its candidate on Sunday. Agitated by the decision, the supporters of Mohapatra had allegedly ransacked the district office of Congress. Later in the evening, some unidentified miscreants had also assaulted Rath in the bus stand of the town.

Mohapatra, who was questioned by police after Rath filed a complaint regarding assault, on Monday said he had no involvement in the incident.

While both Mohapatra and Rath were going to file the nominations, their supporters came face to face at Kacheri Chhak in the town. Palpable tension prevailed amid sloganeering by the supporters of both candidates against each other. However, the police brought the situation under control before it could escalate further.

Later, the two candidates filed their nominations in the office of deputy-collector, who is the returning officer.