Sambalpur: The Story of Sudarshan’s Long Journey; From Poster Boy to MLA

Sambalpur: Sudarshan Haripal, the BJD candidate from the Rengali assembly constituency in the industrial area of Sambalpur district, has won the election this time. He is a person with a very simple lifestyle and high ambitions. In his first attempt, he was elected as a Zilla Parishad member in the 2022 Panchayat elections. Sudarshan comes from a poor family. Due to the family’s poor financial condition, he used to put up posters for candidates during the 2012 Panchayat elections. From being a poster boy, he has now become an MLA.

A tubewell had once broken down in Goshala Kalpada of Dhankauda block, where Sudarshan resides. He had run to various offices to get it repaired but without success. At that time, Kahnucharan Mishra, an active Congress leader, was approached about this problem, and he intervened, resulting in the repair of the tubewell. It is said that since that day, Sudarshan had developed an interest in stepping into politics. He started working as the Digital Editor of the Dhankauda Block Youth BJD. However, he worked as a laborer under a contractor in Hindalco to make ends meet. Even now, he works as a supervisor under the same contractor to oversee the work of laborers.

However, Sudarshan, who has strong organizational skills, was able to bring his two opponents in the last Zilla Parishad election, Congress candidate Krishnarani Behera and BJP candidate Lilishree Sarbhangia, into the BJD fold on the same day. Now, both of them tie Rakhi to Sudarshan.