Delanga/Pipili: Congress veteran Suresh Routray Saturday took part in electioneering for his party’s candidate Ajit Mangaraj in Jatni area under Pipili Assembly constituency.
Routray has been seeking votes by moving from village to village in favour of Mangaraj in his typical jovial style. Odisha PCC former chief Jayadev Jena, senior leader Pradeep Kumar Majhi, the party’s chief spokesperson Nishikant Mishra, women wing general secretaries Nirupama Patra, Banita Parida, Kusum Pradhan and PCC member Jogendra Bahubalendra also took part in the campaign.
Routray took up farmers’ issues, fuel price hike and step-motherly attitude of the Union government towards the state during his campaign. The seasoned leader also pulled up Naveen government for Pipili not having a cold store even after 35 years of representation by former Pipili MLA Pradeep Kumar Maharathy. Besides, he spoke out against cyclone Fani affected people not getting their damage compensation yet.
Routray campaigned in Delanga, Kothabada, Arisala, Khelaur, Sujanpur panchayats for Mangaraj. Several local leaders of BJD from Hatasahi panchayat along with their supporters defected and joined Congress at the party’s office in Pipili in the morning, a party source said.