Phulbani: Ahead of election, the Congress party in Phulbani Assembly constituency suffered a jolt as the party’s district vice-president Sudarshan Kanhar resigned from the party on denial of ticket to him by the leadership.
Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Kandhamal district are scheduled in the second phase of the polls. Even as candidates of other political parties are intensifying campaigning in Phulbani constituency, resignation of Kanhar may spell trouble for the Congress, sources said.
He sent his resignation to State Congress Committee President Friday. Political analysts said Congress will suffer an electoral setback after Kanhar’s resignation.
Kanhar was a popular Congressman in the locality. The party had fielded him as its MLA candidate in 2014. Even though he had been given a ticket at the last moment, the tribal leader could poll 21,510 votes in his favour.
An MLA ticket aspirant this year, Kanhar had tried to strengthen his grip over the constituency. His name was also in the screening committee’s list this year. But his candidature was rejected at the last moment.
Kanhar is a samiti sabhya of Pahiraju panchayat under Firingia block. He alleged that the Congress party in Odisha was distributing tickets as per its own wish. “I am in politics from 1992. I was sure of winning this year. But I was not given a ticket. That is why I have left the party’” Kanhar said, adding he has not yet decided as to which party he would join.
PNN