The BJD rebels, opposing nomination of Sharada Prasad Nayak in Rourkela Assembly seat, filed their nomination papers on Tuesday.
Minati Debata, who was an aspirant for Rourkela filed her nomination papers for the seat as an Independent candidate on Tuesday. Similarly, Vikash Mansingh, another youth BJD leader of Sundargarh district, also filed his nomination for the seat.
Significantly, Minati arrived at the Sub Collector office, along with hundreds of her supporters with the BJD flags on their hands. When she was asked why she is carrying the BJD flag, when she was not given BJD ticket, she defended her action, saying
that BJD has given a ticket to Sharada Nayak, who is totally rejected by the people of Rourkela.
"Nayak is a betrayer from day one as he had once garlanded shoes in portrait of Biju Pattnaik and he was one of the main conspirators of coup attempt of Naveen Patnaik Government on May 29, 2011," Minati said.
"After the coup incident, Sharada Nayak, although was favoured with BJD ticket was rejected by the people of Rourkela," she maintained.
"He has managed to get ticket, even after all these rejections and also negative reports against him," she said and added, "Therefore, I have decided to contest as an independent candidate and expose him in front of the public and the party."