Paradip Congress leader Bapi Sarkhel has sharply reacted to Minister Damodar Rout’s letter to the Jagatsinghpur Superintendent of Police seeking to know the status of the FIRs and cases pending against Sarkhel. This speaks of Rout’s political narrow mindedness, remarked he.
At a Press conference at Paradip on Monday, Sarkhel said Rout is frightened because of the Congress Party’s growing influence in the Paradip Assembly constituency that would be reflected in the coming panchayat elections.
Sarkhel claimed that no criminal case is pending against him and, instead, alleged that Rout has been backing criminals in Paradip. Sarkhel challenged Rout to fight election as an independent candidate against him leaving the BJD so that Rout’s popularity beyond party affiliation could be proved.
Congress leaders Ranjit Dasmohapatra, Nutan Chandra Tripathy, Anup Kumar Sahani and Janaki Maharathi were also present at the Press meet.