Bhubaneswar, April 8: A scene of high drama unfolded on Monday at Congress Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, as party members involving two cousin brothers created ruckus over the distribution of ticket for the Jatani assembly constituency.
The turmoil began when Santosh Jena from the Jatani constituency came to join the party, accompanied by Siddharth Routray, the elder son of Suresh Routray. This move sparked outrage among other aspirants.
The confrontation revolved around two brothers vying for a party ticket in the Jatani assembly segment: Siddharth, son of incumbent MLA Suresh Kumar Routray, and Sangram Routray, Suresh Routray's nephew.
The induction ceremony, scheduled at Congress Bhawan, aimed to join local leader Santosh Jena into the party as a potential candidate. However, Sangram Routray, an aspiring candidate himself, vehemently opposed Jena's induction.
For an hour, the two factions engaged in a heated confrontation within Congress Bhawan, with Sangram Routray emphasizing his works for the party and questioning the legitimacy of imported leaders receiving party tickets.
Sangram also criticized his uncle, Suresh Routray, the sitting MLA, accusing him of dubious conduct for sending his younger son, Manmath, to the rival Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Manmath is currently contesting as the BJD MP candidate from the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat. Suresh Routray, due to his advanced age, has declared that he will not contest the upcoming election.
On the other hand, Siddharth Routray, firmly supported Santosh Jena's induction, believing that it would bolster the party's electoral prospects in the Jatani assembly seat.
Unfortunately, due to the chaos and disruption, the induction program could not be completed at Congress Bhawan today.
This family feud has garnered significant attention, both from the media and the people of Jatani, showcasing the internal dynamics and conflicts within the party.
