Indus Valley Times

By Addanki Iswar R.

Malkangiri,3rd April,2024: In a press conference convened today at Congress Bhawan Malkangiri, under the leadership of District President Gobinda Patra, strong condemnation was expressed regarding the recent allegations made by Sri. Sarat Chandra Buruda. Buruda had claimed that he was subjected to extortion for securing a party recommendation for the upcoming elections.

According to Buruda, on February 28th, he alleged being coerced into paying a hefty sum of 40 lakhs in exchange for a recommendation to higher party echelons, effectively ensuring him a ticket for the forthcoming election. Additionally, he asserted that he was further pressurized to contribute ₹8000 for a dinner supposedly attended by the aforementioned staff members.

Disputing these claims, District President Govinda Patra refuted Buruda’s allegations, declaring them baseless. He elucidated that the selection process for the MLA candidate had been underway for the past four months, spanning from the ward level to the district level. The party has officially declared Mangu Khilla as the MLA candidate for the Chitrakonda Assembly Constituency. Patra emphasized that Buruda’s failure to secure the ticket led to these accusations against the party, which he deemed entirely false.

Asserting the disciplined ethos of the Congress party, Sri. Patra assured that a thorough inquiry into the matter would be conducted, and appropriate disciplinary actions would be taken against any guilty parties involved. The press meet was attended by prominent members including G. Srinivas Rao, Ishak Khosla, Mangu Khilla, and P. Kesu Rao.Their presence underscores the seriousness with which the party views the allegations and its commitment to transparency and integrity in its internal affairs.