Pipili Bypolls: Delay In Congress' Candidate Announcement Sends Wrong Message, Says Suresh Routray

Bhubaneswar: Targeting his own party, Congress MLA Suresh Routray on Sunday said, inordinate delay in party's candidate announcement for the impending bypolls of Pipili, is sending a wrong signal to the public. And the sooner they decide upon a name is better for the party.

"We have sent five names to party's central leadership in Delhi. The candidate will be finalised after Party President Sonia Gandhi's approval," he said.

"I do not have any special liking for anybody from the five. We will campaign for, whoever Sonia Gandhi asks us to," Routray added.

However, pinning hope on the Party's success in Pipili, Routray said that their candidate will definitely secure a win in the bypoll.

It is pertinent to mention here that, both BJP and the BJD have already announced their candidates for the bypolls. While the Bharatiya Janata Party has named Ashrit Pattanayak as its candidate, the ruling Biju Janata Dal has named the son of late MLA Pradeep Maharathy, Rudra Pratap Maharathy as its nominee for the by-election.

Ashrit Pattanayak filed his nominations on March 26 while his BJD counterpart, Rudra Pratap is yet to file his papers.

(Edited By Suryakant Jena)