Congress candidate against Sambit Patra in Puri withdraws from Lok Sabha elections over lack of funds

The Congress party faced another setback in the Lok Sabha elections as Sucharita Mohanty, its candidate for the Puri Parliamentary Constituency in Odisha, withdrew from the race due to financial constraints.

Mohanty cited a lack of adequate funding as the primary reason for her decision to step down, expressing regret that the party’s resources were insufficient to support a winning campaign in Puri.

In a letter addressed to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sucharita Mohanty highlighted the financial challenges she encountered while campaigning, emphasising that the campaign in Puri could not proceed effectively without adequate party funding.

Mohanty, who transitioned from journalism to politics a decade ago, lamented the expectation from the Odisha Congress in-charge Ajoy Kumar for her to finance her campaign independently.

Despite her efforts to raise funds through public donation drives and crowdfunding initiatives, including sharing UPI QR codes and account details on social media platforms, Mohanty struggled to secure the necessary resources for her electoral campaign.

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In addition to financial concerns, Mohanty expressed dissatisfaction with the Congress party’s selection of candidates for seven Assembly segments under the Puri Lok Sabha constituency. She reportedly urged party seniors to reconsider the candidates in certain seats but did not receive the desired response.

The withdrawal of Sucharita Mohanty marks the third instance of a Congress candidate stepping down just ahead of polling. Earlier instances include the disqualification of Congress nominee Nilesh Kumbhani in Surat, resulting in a BJP win by default, and the withdrawal of Akshay Bam, who subsequently joined the BJP after pulling out from the Indore Lok Sabha constituency race.

The Congress party’s electoral challenges underscore the complexities and internal dynamics within the organization, including financial constraints and candidate selection controversies.

With voting scheduled for May 25 in Puri, the Congress will need to address these issues swiftly to maintain competitiveness in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.