It was a worst Diwali Gift for Ashok Sahu, who had openly expressed his displeasure over the candidate selection for Kandhamal bypoll. Ashok Sahu had contested the Lok Sabha polls from Kandhamal in 2009, but finished third. He was shifted to Puri in 2014 general elections. He expected the party ticket during the bypoll, but the BJP strategists under Bijoy Mohapatra, brought in former BJD MP Rudra Madhab Ray to the party fold and fielded him in Kandhamal.
Although the BJP increased its vote share and numbers to finish second position ahead of the Congress, Ashok Sahu questioned the celebration, asking why the ‘Modi Wave’ did not work in Odisha. “Kandhamal PC by-poll result is lesson for BJP to introspect why Modi wave is diluted in Odisha unlike any other part in the country”, he tweeted. The tweet also surfaced on his Facebook account and created a huge uproar in the BJP circle.
According to the BJP sources, Ashok Sahu has been asked to explain his conduct within seven days. He was asked to explain why he won’t be expelled from the party for breaching the discipline. A bitter critic of Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, BJD and Congress, Ashok Sahu is known as a staunch nationalist, who strongly believes in Hindutva ideology.