Fresh from winning bypoll’s pipeline, BJD candidate Rudra Pratap Maharathy spoke to Sujit Bisoyi about his victory and planned for elections.
What does this victory mean for you? This is an emotional moment for our family and the people of the pipeline when we lost our Father and leader (Pradeep Maharathy) on the same day, last year.
I am indebted to the pipile people because they blame love and very large blessings at by-election.
People from our constituencies have high hopes of me because there is no MLA for the past year.
So, it’s time to work and not for celebration.
What are the factors that lead to your victory? Victory has been due to popularity, good governance and people’s beliefs in the leadership of the Head of Minister of Naveen Patnaik.
Love the people for my father, which I witnessed during campaigning, is also a key factor behind victory.
The development of the pipeline has always been a priority for my father and he has a major contribution in elections.
I will follow in the footsteps of my father to ensure the development of our constituency as a whole.
Your plan for the pipeli …
as I said, people have high hopes of me.
I will try to bear their hopes.
I plan to visit all Panchayats in the next few days to listen to people’s complaints and to understand their problems and difficulties.
I want to convince people that I will continue to work under their guidance and instructions.
What will be your focus area? Some development work initiated by my father had been delayed after his sad death.
I will try to finish it.
In addition, meeting basic needs such as good roads to all villages, Pucca houses for all drinking water and cleaning for all.
Applique workers in the pipeli were in trouble …
when the election was postponed, I had the opportunity to reach all parts of people, including applique workers.
They had aired complaints and the difficulties they faced by them considering Covid-19.
Because the pipeline is famous for its applias work, I will do all efforts to help them, including better market relationships.
How do you intend to bring party work? Even though I was young, I have learned a lot from my father.
Senior leaders also helped me in the past year about organizational work.