In a shocking incident, BJD heavyweight leader and party’s nominee for the Champua Assembly constituency Sanatan Mahakud was reportedly garlanded with slippers.
A purported video of the incident has gone viral.
As per reports, the BJD leader was carrying out his election campaigning in villages. As he visited Mirigisinga village last evening, he was being received by the villagers. People were welcoming the leader with garlands.
At that time, a person, apparently in a drunken state, suddenly stormed into the crowd with a garland of slippers and put it around the neck of the leader.
The video shows the leader and his supporters pushing the garland away. The BJD leader and his supporters were seen shocked by the sudden turn of events.
However, it was not clear under what circumstances such an incident happened.
Locals said, the people of the village had been opposing the BJD leader. The sitting MLA Minakshi Mohanta belongs to the village. Local residents used to oppose her leadership too as she had allegedly disconnected herself from people after becoming the MLA.
This time, Minakshi was denied a BJD ticket and Mahakud was given a ticket instead.
Incidentally, Minakshi was not seen during the nomination filing of Mahakud.
No comments were received from the BJD or the MLA candidate.