Bhubaneswar, Jan 22: After two years of silence, Congress leader Arindam Sarkhel alias Bapi has once again been active in Paradip politics.
Sarkhel has shown his strength in Paradip and openly declared to contest the forthcoming election from there on Sunday. But he has not yet clarified from which party he would contest.
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On Sunday, despite the rain and bad weather, Bapi Sarkhel along with hundreds of his supporters organized a massive rally that started from Dochhaki and culminated at Atharbanki.
There was a huge gathering held at the playground in front of Jayadev Sadan in which many social organizations of Jagatsingpur under the banner of "Ama Paradip, Ama Pragati" had participated. Similarly, many trade union members of the Paradip industrial area also participated in it. Various organizations welcomed Sarkhel there.
On this occasion, Bapi Sarkhel openly declared to contest from Paradip in the ensuing election. He also appealed to the voters of Paradip to change the present political equation in the coming election.
For the last two years, Sarkhel has been staying away from Congress politics and introducing himself as an independent leader in Paradip. Under the banner of 'Aam Paradip, Ama Pragati', he had fielded candidates in both panchayat and urban elections. He was somehow successful.
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There is also a rumor that Bapi may contest the MLA election in Paradip constituency on the BJD ticket.
In 2019 election, Bapi had contested as a Congress candidate from the Paradip assembly constituency, he had come second, and was lost to BJD nominee Sambit Routray.
