Bypoll-bound Jharsuguda saw high drama on Monday when District Congress Committee President, Ashok Kumar Mishra went back on his decision in the evening after resigning from his position in the morning.
As it happened, just nine days ahead of the Jharsuguda bypolls, Mishra resigned from his position on Monday morning.
Mishra tendered his resignation to the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Chief, Sarat Patnaik, and forwarded the copies to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) chief Mallikarjun Kharge and party’s Odisha in-charge, A Chella Kumar.
Mishra wrote, “I do hereby tender my resignation from the post of president, District Congress Committee Jharsuguda.”
Though he did not mention any particular reason for his resignation in the letter, he, however, told that he felt suffocated in the party.
“I resigned from Congress given the present environment and the work culture within the party. A man like me who believed in clean politics felt suffocated,” said Mishra to OTV.
However, as it turned out, Mishra changed his decision within hours and withdrew his resignation letter.
He called a press conference to inform about his decision. He said he has changed his decision after speaking with the OPCC Chief and will remain in the position of Jharsuguda DCC president.
The Congress has fielded Tarun Pandey as its candidate for the bypoll scheduled for May 10.
Pandey will be contesting against BJD’s Dipali Das and BJP’s Tankadhar Tripathy.