Singhdeo back in poll fray after 15 yrs

Bhubaneswar: Congress veteran and six-time Lok Sabha member K P Singhdeo, who was Union minister in the Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and P V Narasimha Rao governments, has staged a comeback into electoral politics after 15 years. On Friday, the Congress nominated the 78-year-old scion of the erstwhile royal family of Dhenkanal as its candidate for the Dhenkanal Lok Sabha seat.
Singhdeo, who won from Dhenkanal Lok Sabha seat six times, had unsuccessfully contested from the same seat last in 2004. He was denied ticket in 2009 and 2014 elections. The party did not consider his candidature in 2009 though he was then serving as president of the state Congress unit.

Singhdeo’s political fortune seemed to have nose-dived ever since he was replaced as president of state Congress in June 2011. He was appointed as chief of the state Congress unit in January 2009, a few months before the elections. After his ouster as president of party’s state unit, Singhdeo was sidelined.

Talks are doing the rounds that the Congress recalled veteran Singhdeo after BJD’s four-time MP from Dhenkanal Tathagat Satpathy quit politics a few days ago. Singhdeo was first elected to the Lok Sabha from Dhenkanal in 1967 representing the Swatantra Party. Later, he joined Congress and won the Dhenkanal seat in 1980, 1984, 1991, 1996 and 1999.

“I am glad to have been considered for ticket from my bastion. My old-age will not deter me from putting my best foot forward,” Singhdeo said. Five years ago, speculation was rife that Singhdeo might quit Congress and join BJP.