Rourkela: The BJP today named Dilip Ray, the former union minister and MLA, as its Assembly candidate from Rourkela in Odisha’s Sundargarh district.
The BJP leader, who was convicted in a coal scam case earlier, was assumed to be the BJP’s candidate from Rourkela after the Delhi High Court stayed his conviction allowing him to contest the forthcoming elections in May in Odisha.
“I am delighted to have been shortlisted to contest the elections from Rourkela on the BJP ticket. I express my gratitude to my party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for putting trust in me for one more time,” Ray told reporters after the BJP released its second list of candidates for 21 Assembly Constituencies in Odisha today.
He promised to stand with the people of Rourkela and focus on the developmental projects in the city, hinting the forthcoming polls will be ‘challenging’.
“Like previous years, the election will be challenging this time too. I will fight on the local issues of Rourkela with a promise to ensure peace for the residents of the city. If I win, I will pave way for corporation election, which has not been held in last 12 years in Rourkela,” he said.
