Odisha: Chella Kumar’s Fragile Leadership Exposed As Party Loses 7 Assembly Bypolls Since Sep 2020

The BJD denied party ticket to Dash, who won from Nimapara seat thrice in a row in 2009, 2014 and 2019, and fielded Dillip Kumar Nayak for the ensuing polls.

However, the sitting MLA's supporters have been opposing the party's move and set April 30 as the deadline for the party, demanding reconsideration of Dash or his wife Sangita Dash for Nimapara seat.

According to sources, Dash and his supporters are conducting a series of meetings over the alternate course of action if the party would not reconsider his candidature.

Also Read: BJD Infight: Nimapada MLA Samir Das Shows His Supporters' Strength Against Ticket Denial

Earlier on April 20, thousands of supporters of the sitting MLA took out a massive rally, demanding reconsideration of his candidacy for the Nimapara seat.

Das was in the eye of a storm for his suspected role behind the suicide of BJD Zilla Parishad Member Dharmendra Sahoo in September 2022. He is also accused of harassing women BJD workers including deceased Sahoo's wife.

Read More: Odisha News 

In a press meet here, senior BJP leader Pramod Rath said," In 2018, Odisha government had announced to construct at least seven barrages in the downstream of the Mahanadi river, but not a single barrage was constructed yet."

"The Mahanadi river water is not fit for drinking or even bathing purposes according to the pollution control board. Huge quantities of untreated sewage and biomedical wastes are still being discharged directly into the river," he alleged.

Due to the negligence of the nearly 25-year-old BJD government in the state, the Mahanadi river water is getting drained into the sea without any productive use.

The BJP leader alleged that the ruling party is doing politics by calling the Mahanadi river as "Maa" (mother) but it always treats the river as a step-mother.

He slammed the Naveen Patnaik government accusing it of misleading people on Mahanadi river water row with Chhattisgarh instead of taking any positive steps to resolve the issue.

The BJD leaders visited Chhattisgarh and made false statements to mislead the people on the issue, the BJP alleged.

The dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh over Mahanadi river water is now pending before a tribunal.

Notably, the voting for the 147-member Odisha Assembly and 21 Lok Sabha constituencies in the State will be held in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The results will be announced on June 4.

Read More: Odisha News 

In what was another run-fest at the venue, opener Jake Fraser-McGurk continued his good showing by slamming a sensational 84, including getting fifty in just 15 balls, while Tristan Stubbs smashed an unbeaten 48 to carry DC to a mammoth 257/4.

In reply, Rasikh’s 3-34 and Mukesh’s 3-54, along with Khaleel Ahmed’s 2-45 kept Mumbai to 247/9, despite Tilak Varma’s 63, Hardik Pandya’s 46 and Tim David’s 37 giving them hope of chasing down the target.

With this win, DC jumped ahead of defending champions Chennai Super Kings to now be in fifth place in the points table with 10 points from as many games.

Chasing 258, Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma hit five boundaries between themselves – four of them hit by the former. Khaleel took out a scratchy Rohit when he got him to slice to mid-off. Ishan soon went back to the pavilion after miscuing a loft to mid-off against Mukesh.

Impact player Suryakumar Yadav looked dangerous when he brought out his wristy flick, glance, cut, one-handed loft and slice to make a 13-ball 26, before lobbing a catch to cover off a slower off-cutter from Khaleel as MI ended the Power-play at 65/3, marking it the third time they lost three wickets in the six-over phase of IPL 2024.

Hardik kept MI in the hunt by hitting Kuldeep Yadav for three fours and a six to collect 19 runs off the ninth over before Tilak lofted and reverse-swept Axar Patel for six and four respectively in the tenth over. Hardik pulled and sliced Mukesh for six and four respectively, before miscuing a slog to mid-wicket off a slower ball from impact player Rasikh.

Two balls later, Rasikh took out Nehal Wadhera, who nicked behind to Pant. Tilak was at his proactive best in taking 21 runs off Kuldeep in the 15th over – pulling and lofting for a brace of sixes, before heaving and reverse-sweeping for two fours. Tilak reached his fifty in 25 balls by heaving Lizaad Williams over fine leg for four.

With 64 runs needed from the last three overs, David dispatched Mukesh for two sixes over long-on fence and a pulled four. Pant came up to the stumps and it worked as Mukesh had David trapped plumb lbw. But Tilak ended the 23-run over by glancing a Mukesh full toss over backward square leg for six.

The equation came down to 41 runs off the last 12 balls, and Rasikh struck by having Mohammad Nabi hole out to long-on in a 16-run 19th over. Tilak’s run-out on the first ball of the final over and Chawla holing out to long-on the last ball ensured DC got their second straight win in Delhi.

Brief scores:

Delhi Capitals 257/4 in 20 overs (Jake-Fraser McGurk 84, Tristan Stubbs 48 not out; Mohammad Nabi 1-20, Jasprit Bumrah 1-35) beat Mumbai Indians 247/9 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 63, Hardik Pandya 46; Rasikh Salam 3-34, Mukesh Kumar 3-59) by 10 runs. (IANS) 

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