Congress candidate ‘best’ for Bijepur bypoll: Suresh Routray

Bijepur: Among all the candidates nominated by various political parties for the upcoming bypoll to Bijepur Assembly Constituency, Congress candidate is the best, said senior Congress leader Suresh Kumar Routray.

Talking to media persons during election campaign in Bijepur for the bye-election scheduled on October 21, the Jatni legislator said that the possibility is high to win the poll if the votes will be cast in favour of Congress MLA nominee Dilip Panda.

“Even as the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are hitting the campaign trail alluring the common people with cash and food delicacies to woo the voters, our Congress candidate may emerge as the winner irrespective of money power,” said Routray.

He described the voters of Bijepur as ‘hardworking’ and ‘decent’ appealing to them to vote for Congress candidate on basis of developmental work carried by the party in the Assembly constituency.

Launching scathing attack on BJD and BJP, he said that both the parties are only pulling the crowd to draw attention.

“Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik should feel ashamed of visiting here again for votes after quitting the constituency. Why did he leave it and retain Hinjili seat after coming to power in 2019 elections? The way Naveen Babu is distributing money through his party workers to win the poll, he is making the people corrupt. Entire government machinery is being used to sweep the poll. The Election Commission sees everything but appears as the mute spectator,” he alleged.

He termed the CM as ‘coward’ and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as ‘nothing’ in the country.

“Who told that this is the Naveen era. If it is true, all in Odisha and India will turn out to be cowards. Unfortunately, Modi, who could not be husband of his own house, has been claiming that he is the ‘pati’ (husband) of the country. They are all making rubbish in name of administration,” the Congressman said.

He admitted that it will be a tough for the Congress candidate to contest in the poll as both the BJD and BJP have money to spend on the voters. However, the party is in hope to win the bypoll.