Puri: Soon after the AICC replaced the party candidate for the Puri assembly seat in Odisha on Sunday, supporters of the earlier nominee Sujit Mahapatra went on a rampage in the district Congress office and later allegedly attacked Umaballav Rath, the newly announced contestant.
The Congress during the day changed candidates in five assembly seats -- Bari, Jaleswar, Athamalik, Athaqgarha and Puri.
The Congress fielded Rath in place of Mohapatra in Puri. This led to angry reaction among the supporters of Mahapatra, who had filed his nomination papers with the returning officer on Saturday.
They allegedly attacked Rath Sunday evening near the bus stand. Rath, who suffered bleeding injury, has filed a complaint with the Kumbharpara police station and is under treatment in the hospital.
According to the complaint by Rath, while he was going with his supporters at around 7 PM to make preparations for filing his nomination on Monday, about a dozen youths led by Premjit Mohanty and Chandrashekhar Kar suddenly sprayed some liquid on his face and attacked him near the Puri bus stand. They rained blows, and kicked and hit him with soft drink bottles.
Rath fell on the road. Before escaping, the attackers threatened to kill him. Rath has sought police protection.
Jaydip Mohanty, the inspector of Kumbharpara police station, registered a criminal case and began an investigation. Rath was sent to district headquarters hospital under police escort for treatment.
The inspector said since the persons are identified and named in the FIR they will be apprehended soon.
Additional superintendent of police Susil Mishra said three police teams have been formed to nab the accused persons while one personal security officer has been provided to Rath for his security. This is the first election-related violence in Puri in the current poll season.
Meanwhile, in the Bari Assembly seat, Congress fielded former Minister and four-time MLA Debasis Nayak instead of Aarati Deo. Nayak joined the party recently. The former minister had earlier joined the BJP after quitting the ruling BJD.
In Jaleswar, the Congress has given the ticket to Sudarshan Das in place of Debi Prasanna Chand and fielded Himanshu Chaulia in place of Bijayananda Chaulia from the Athamalik assembly seat. Sudarshan Sahoo has been named the party nominee from the Athagarh assembly seat in place of Maheboob Ahemad Khan.
The party has also replaced its candidate in Nilagari Assembly seat.
The Congress also replaced its candidate for the Puri Lok Sabha constituency. Sucharita Mohanty, the earlier nominee, declined to contest after being denied party funding to support her campaign. The grand old party has now fielded Jayanarayan Patnaik in her place.
