Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Sofia Firdous, the daughter of Congress MLA Md. Moquim, might turn out to vote in the State’s next Assembly election. The development has sparked speculation, as the Supreme Court turned down a request to postpone Moquim’s conviction in a graft case the day before. The Cuttack – Barabati MLA’s supporters were called to several gatherings. Reportedly, his followers demanded that he run his daughter in the Assembly election.
In order to get a ticket for Sofia, the supporters have decided to bring the issue up with the party’s senior command. According to Moquim, the party has not chosen a candidate for Barabati yet. The candidacy of Sofia has the full support of party members and workers. “We intend to consult with Cuttack’s intellectual community and locals on this issue prior to submitting a report to the PCC,” Moquim stated. In a case involving a Rs 1.50 crore loan scam, the Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended Moquim’s sentence but refused to overturn his conviction.
