Bhubaneswar: Senior Congress leader and Jatni MLA Suresh Routray’s younger son Manmath Routray has been suspended from Congress party for his indiscipline behaviour.
Disciplinary Action Committee Chairman Santosh Singh Saluja has informed Manmath about his suspension from Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Member in a letter.
“Though you are a PCC member, you have particularly said that you don’t belong to Indian National Congress (INC). You have also said that you are free to visit the BJP office and BJD office,” Shri Saluja told Manmath in the letter.
The Disciplinary Action Committee has also issued a show cause notice to the OPCC Member but he didn’t respond to it.
“Manmath Routray is an OPCC Member. He was served a show-cause notice for giving a statement against the party. Since he didn’t reply to it, he has been suspended from the party,” said Shri Saluja.
While reacting to the suspension, Manmath said he was surprised by the order of the party as he never joined Congress.
“If I was indulged into the OPCC even by mistake, they should have known that I was a Central Government employee. Now I am working with an international company. We have a set of rules. We cannot join any political party,” he said.
“By accepting me as a Member, they had committed a mistake. Now, they have committed another mistake. In this regard, I will discuss with my father,” he added.
On September 6, while speaking to media persons, Manmath had stated that he would not contest for the next election from Congress ticket and will announce his decision in October. It was speculated Manmath will join the Governing BJD as his father Suresh Routray is a very popular figure in the entire State.
Suresh Routray, a six-time MLA wanted his younger son Manmath to contest the 2024 general election on a Congress ticket from Jatni Assembly constituency.