Bhubaneswar: The Congress Monday expelled Jatni MLA Suresh Kumar Routray from the party on charges of indiscipline and anti-party activities.
In a statement, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary KC Venugopal said, “Considering the complaints of indiscipline and anti-party activities, the Hon’ble Congress President has approved the expulsion of Shri Suresh Kumar Routray from the party for six years with immediate effect.”
Routray, a six-time MLA from Jatni Assembly segment in Odisha’s Khurda district, faced accusations of supporting his son, Manmath Routray, a BJD candidate from the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha Constituency.
The veteran leader has denied any wrongdoing and said he had resigned from all poll-related committees of Congress after his son became a BJD candidate.
Claiming that he had a relationship with Congress for over five decades, Routray said he would remain in the Congress till his last breath.
“I will take the matter to the party high command and tell them how can I be held responsible for my adult son joining BJD? I have not done anything wrong. I have told the party that I may not be campaigning in Bhubaneswar as my son is contesting from here as a BJD candidate,” he said.
“I will remain in the Congress till my death despite my expulsion from the party. My son has received a BJD ticket for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. But, that does not mean that I am involved in anti-party activities. Many Congress leaders in Odisha have flouted the party discipline and were involved in anti-party activities. However, no action was taken against them,” said the Jatani MLA.
Sources in the Congress, however, said Routray was seen sharing dais with BJD leaders and the video went viral where he was praising the achievements of BJD’s north-Bhubaneswar MLA Susant Rout.
PTI
