Congress Candidate Declined to Contest from Puri LS Seat
Sucharita Mohanty cites lack of funds; BJP's Sambit Patra gains advantage.
Congress candidate Sucharita Mohanty has declined to contest the prestigious Puri Lok Sabha seat in Odisha. In a letter to party general secretary KC Venugopal, Mohanty expressed his inability to continue, effectively returning the party ticket. With Mohanty's withdrawal, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Dr. Sambit Patra is seen to have a clearer path in the upcoming elections.
The deadline for nominations in Puri is May 6, with voting scheduled for May 25. The Congress now faces the challenge of promptly fielding a new candidate.
Mohanty cited insufficient financial resources as the primary reason for stepping back. Despite efforts to raise funds independently, including reaching out to the public, Mohanty struggled to match the campaign capabilities of BJP and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidates.
According to Mohanty, Congress candidates have also been struggling in the concurrent assembly elections. Their campaigns have not been competitive, contrasting sharply with the well-funded BJP and BJD candidates. Recognizing the financial disparity, Mohanty chose to withdraw from the race.
