RAYAGADA: Stepbrothers Saptagiri Shankar Ulaka and Siba Sankar Ulaka might have taken to the political battle front from rival parties but they have a similar approach to campaigning. Both are seeking votes in the name of their father, former minister late Rama Chandra Ulaka.
Saptagiri is the Congress candidate for the Koraput Lok Sabha constituency and the younger Siba is the BJP candidate from Bissamcuttack Assembly segment. The brothers’ invoking the name of their father, a seven-time MLA, for campaigning has become a stuff of discussion in Rayagada.
While 40-year-old Saptagiri holds a B Tech degree in Computer Science and has worked in firms like Infosys and HCL, Siba is a mechanical engineer. Saptagiri has no political experience and will be contesting the polls for the first time. However, Siba was the president of Youth Congress and had resigned from the party to join BJP in 2014. In the same year, he had contested from Koraput Parliamentary constituency as BJP candidate but lost.
Late Rama Chandra Ulaka was a two-time MP from Koraput and seven-time MLA from Rayagada. Saptagiri’s mother Ratnamani Ulaka is a member of AICC and State vice president of Mahila Congress. On the other hand, Siba’s mother Janaki Ulaka is a samiti member of Bankili gram Panchayat under Kolanara block of the district. Despite being fielded by different parties, Saptagiri and Siba are leaving no chance to cash in on their father’s clout.
Party post for ticketless BJD leaders
Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday rehabilitated several leaders, who were denied tickets, by appointing them in organisational posts. Former Brajarajnagar MLA Anup Sai and sitting Bijepur MLA Rita Sahu have been appointed as BJD’s campaign committee chairperson and co-chairperson respectively for Bijepur, the second seat from where BJD supremo Naveen is contesting the polls. Similarly, Anam Naik has been appointed as co-observer for Loisinga Assembly seat and Lanjigarh MLA Balabhadra Majhi as co-observer for Bisam-Cuttack and Talasara.