Bhubaneswar: Congress candidate from Puri Lok Sabha seat in Odisha, Sucharita Mohanty has returned her ticket due to insufficient campaign funds provided by the party.
Mohanty expressed her struggles with financial constraints despite efforts such as public donation drives and reduced spending, which hampered her ability to conduct a robust campaign.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Mohanty had contested against Pinaki Mishra of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), securing 2,89,800 votes compared to Mishra’s 5,23,161 votes.
Mohanty cited the difference in campaign funds compared to opponents from the BJP and BJD, she claimed that these party candidates sitting on heaps of wealth. She said, she tried a people-centric campaign, which proved unattainable due to funding limitations.
In a letter addressed to Congress general secretary KC Venugopal dated May 3, Mohanty expressed her disappointment with the party’s refusal to provide adequate funding for her campaign in Puri. She recounted her efforts to seek financial support, including public donation drives and cost-cutting measures.
Despite reaching out to the party’s central leadership, Mohanty concluded that the lack of funds remained a significant obstacle to mounting a successful campaign. Consequently, she made the difficult decision to return the INC ticket for the Puri parliamentary constituency.
The Lok Sabha elections in Odisha are scheduled to be held in four phases on May 13, 20, 25, and June 1. Mohanty reiterated her reasons for stepping down, citing the party’s inability to provide financial support and the nomination of candidates perceived as weak in certain Assembly segments.
#WATCH | Congress candidate from Puri parliamentary constituency Sucharita Mohanty says, “I have returned the ticket because the party was not able to fund me. Another reason is that in some of the seats in 7 Assembly segments, winnable candidates have not been given the ticket.… pic.twitter.com/xNpQslvDQy
— ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2024
