Journey of Anup Sai; from hurling shoes in Odisha Assembly to double murder accused

Bhubaneswar, Feb 14: BJD leader and three time former MLA Anup Sai who was arrested by Chhattisgarh police for his alleged involvement in a double murder in 2016 had once hogged limelight for hurling shoes towards the securitymen in the gallery of Odisha Assembly in November 2004. The 59-year-old Sai was elected thrice from Brajarajnagar Assembly segment on Congress ticket. He was elected to the 12th, 13th and 14th Assembly from the constituency. However, it was the shoe hurling incident which made him famous in the state. The infamous incident took place in November 2004 during a debate on a controversial mining contract and the opposition Congress accused the government of leasing a forest area in Kalahandi to Vedanta Alumina. The Congress members rushed to the well and subsequently a scuffle ensued. During the scuffle, Sai hurled his shoes towards the securitymen in the Assembly gallery. Sai was subsequently debarred from attending the Assembly for the rest of the session. Sai, however, quit congress before joining ruling BJD and had unsuccessfully contested elections in 2014 on a BJD ticket from Brajarajnagar constituency. During 2019 Assembly polls, he was denied a BJD ticket and was assigned the crucial task of campaign committee chairperson for Bijepur seat, which was contested by BJD chief Naveen Patnaik. In August 2019, Sai was appointed chairman of Odisha State Warehousing Corporation (OSWC).