Maoist leader Sabyasachi’s wife Mili Panda, Nilagiri queen Manoj Manjari Debi join Congress

Bhubaneswar: Hardcore Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda’s wife Subhashree Panda alias Mili joined Congress today.

Mili Panda joined the grand old party along with Nilagiri queen Manoj Manjari Debi in presence of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik and party’s Odisha in-charge Jitendra Singh.

Mili had joined the Ama Odisha Party floated by Soumyaranjan Patnaik. Besides, she had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly elections from Ranpur in 2014. Soumyaranjan, who joined the state ruling BJD, is now the Rajya Sabha MP.

Mili was arrested in 2010 and 2012 for her alleged links with the red rebels. However, was acquitted by the courts later.

On the other hand, Manjari Debi is the wife of the 39th Raja Saheb of Nilgiri Jayant Chandra Mardraj Harichandan, who has been a member in the State Election Committee of Youth Congress in 1996 and General Secratary of OPCC’s Art and Culture Cell in the year 2003 and 2004.

Debi’s father-in-law, Rajendra Chandra Mardaraj Harichandan, who is a three times MLA, had represented Indian National Congress in the 6th Odisha Assembly from Nilagiri constituency.