Two Independent candidates (Pitabash Mishra for Rourkela seat and Jaykrishna Mahanandia for Raghunathpalli seat) along with activist Muktikanta Biswal and a few others held a dharna demanding early execution of the second Brahmani bridge and IGH upgradation to a MCH as promised by PM Narendra Modi four years back.
The dharna was held on the backdrop of PM Modi’s rally in Kirei in Sundargarh on April 6. The opposition alleged that Modi held the meeting in Kirei instead of in Rourkela as his promises for the two projects to the residents of Rourkela have proved hollow.
Notably, on April 1, 2015 when Modi had his maiden tour to Rourkela as Prime Minister he had promised the two projects.
Protesting the apathy of the Central Government, former Rourkela BJP MLA Dilip Ray had resigned from the party and his post of MLA.