As the general and Assembly elections are drawing close, the future political career of senior BJP leader and Rourkela BJP MLA Dilip Ray has been a talk of the town.
Though Ray was elected in 2014 as MLA Rourkela on BJP ticket but he pulling off in the party as his demands for expediting the two projects such as second Brahmani bridge in Rourkela and upgradation of the IGH to a medical college hospital have been ignored by the Central Government led by BJP.
Consequently, Ray has been found rather lukewarm in the party organisation and meetings over last few years. On the contrary, a speculation that he may leave BJP and join the BJD has become rife.
Ray had played a key role in the formation of the BJD after the death of former CM Biju Patnaik and had been very close the BJD ideologue till his last breath.
While Ray is visiting the city on November 23, many say he may first resign from the State Assembly and later the BJP after returning from his foreign trip to USA.
Many others said he would resign from the Assembly after its Winter Session which is going on now. But some others say after the results of the ongoing Assembly polls in five States on December 11, Ray may decide his future course of action.
Interestingly, even before Ray has taken a decision on joining the BJD, many people who are close to him have started talking about getting ticket from the BJD by the blessing of Ray.
It is because they claim that if Ray joins BJD he will play an important role in ticket allotment for the entire Sundargarh district.
If sources are to be believed, more than a dozen of aspirants claim here that they are assured of BJD ticket in 2019 election though Ray has not ever mentioned about his switchover to BJD anywhere. Besides, many others who are in party since last many years and having good organisational ability also expect the party ticket in coming election. In total now more than 20 aspirants are in steel city to get BJD ticket for the most prestigious Rourkela Assembly seat. A similar situation is also found in Raghunathpalli Assembly segment.