JAGATSINGHPUR: The district Congress leaders have joined the chorus for action against party colleagues who allegedly sabotaged the winning chances of candidates in the recent elections by having a tacit understanding with BJD and BJP.
A meeting to review the party’s poll debacle in the district was held in presence of Jatni MLA and observer Suresh Routray on Sunday.
During the meet, it was alleged that delay in selection of candidates, nexus between local party leaders with rival candidates, lack of cooperation from Odisha Pradhesh Congress Committee in campaigning and absence of star campaigners were some of the reasons behind the poll debacle.
The party lost in all the four Assembly segments and the Lok Sabha seat in the elections.
Congress was expected to win from Jagatsinghpur, Paradip and Balikuda-Erasama seats.
The party was hoping to retain Jagatsinghpur seat owing to the clean image of its candidate Chiranjib Biswal. However, anti-party activities by local workers led to Biswal’s shock defeat.
In Balikuda-Erasama, party candidate Lalatendu Mohapatra lost to BJD nominee and Minister in the current State Cabinet Raghunanadan Das.
Mohapatra alleged that the party had decided to declare names of MLA candidates six months before the election. However, he was nominated by Congress from Balikuda-Erasama just two days before the polls.
Congress Lok Sabha Candidate Pratima Mallick, who was defeated by BJD’s Rajshree Mallick, complained that though she had applied for a ticket from Tirtol Assembly seat, the party nominated her as MP candidate.
Biswal and party’s candidate from Paradip Assembly seat Bapi Sarkhel skipped the meeting.
Routray sought cooperation of all local leaders to strengthen Congress at the grassroots level.
“I had discussion with former MLA Biswal who assured to unite and strengthen the party in municipality areas ahead of the urban local bodies’ polls,” he said.
Sources said district Congress president Natabar Barik has taken responsibility for the party’s poll debacle in Jagatsinghpur.