ROURKELA: Jubilation gripped supporters of former union minister Dilip Ray on Monday after the Delhi High Court stayed his conviction in the coal scam case, allowing him to contest the upcoming elections.
There are indications of Ray contesting from the Rourkela Assembly seat on a BJP ticket. If it happens, Ray would once again lock horns with BJD candidate and Labour Minister Sarada Prasad Nayak. In 2014 polls, Nayak had lost to Ray by a margin of 10,929 votes.
Ray had won Rourkela for the Janata Dal in 1985 and 1990, but suffered a shock defeat in 1995. After his stint as a union minister, he won from Rourkela again in 2014 and became a BJP legislator.
Ray had quit BJP in November 2018 and also resigned from the MLA post expressing displeasure over the inordinate delay in execution of two Central government projects in Rourkela. Since then, he continues to be without any party affiliation amid speculation of his return to BJD which never came true.
Contacted, a happy and relaxed Ray politely declined to comment on the court’s stay or his next political move.
Sources said barring a handful of ticket seekers, the BJP’s rank and file in Rourkela and adjacent Raghunath (RN) Pali Assembly segments are upbeat about the prospect of Ray being made a party candidate.
BJP’s Panposh organisational district president Latika Patnaik said Ray’s resignation has still not been accepted by BJP. Technically, he is still a part of the BJP family. “We are eagerly waiting for the BJP’s central leadership to officially announce Ray’s candidature from Rourkela. His presence would ensure BJP’s victory in Rourkela and RN Pali seats,” she added.