Bhubaneswar, April, 25: Amidst the uncertainty over the candidature of senior Congress leader Mohammad Moquim due to the ORHDC loan scam issue, speculations are rife that his daughter Sofia Firdous may contest from the Barabati-Cuttack Assembly seat in the upcoming general elections in Odisha. She is likely to be fielded by Congress.
During a marathon meeting at Moquim’s residence, attended by leaders from various walks of life and party workers, it was unanimously decided that if the Congress party fields Sofia Firdous, the entire Congress cadre would support her in the ensuing election.
The proposal to nominate Sofia Firdous as the Congress candidate from the Cuttack Barabati constituency will be forwarded to the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee for consideration.
Sophia Firdous is highly educated and has been actively involved in Cuttack politics since 2014. She campaigned for her father, Moquim, in the 2019 elections. Additionally, she is engaged in social work and real estate business through the Moquim Foundation.
The final decision on Sofia Firdous’s candidature rests with the high command. If approved, she will be a new face in the electoral field for the Barabati constituency.
The electoral contest in Barabati is shaping up interestingly. While BJD candidate Prakash Behera is a veteran, he is new to Barabati. Sofia Firdous, despite being a familiar face in the city, is relatively new to the harsh world of politics. The BJP has not yet announced its candidate.
