Naveen to campaign

BHUBANESWAR: Even as the BJP is preparing for a massive show at Barpali on Monday to welcome suspended BJD leader Ashok Panigrahy to the party fold, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced on Sunday that he will campaign for party candidate Ritarani Sahu in the by-poll to Bijepur Assembly constituency.

The Chief Minister reiterated the decision that Ritarani will be the BJD’s candidate from Bijepur in the by-poll after returning from a six-day visit to New Delhi. Several senior leaders of the party will also campaign for Ritarani, he said.

Announcement of Ritarani, widow of Congress MLA Subal Sahu, as BJD candidate had sparked off strong resentment in the BJD with several leaders including former Bargarh district president Prabhat Aditya Mishra openly opposing the decision. Panigrahy, who was an aspirant for BJD ticket for the by-poll, also wrote a strongly worded letter to the Chief Minister opposing the decision. Severing all ties from the BJD, Panigrahy alleged that the BJD high command had asked him to contest as an Independent candidate in 2014 polls from the constituency for which he was suspended.

However, Rajya Sabha MP and BJD spokesperson Prasanna Acharya said Panigrahy’s switch over to BJP will have no impact on the party’s prospect in the by-poll. On the other hand, it will be a ‘good riddance’ for the BJD, he said and added that the BJP has no grassroots organisation in Bijepur.Meanwhile, secretary in the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Bhakta Charan Das said, Subal Sahu’s family joining BJD will have no affect on the Congress vote bank in the Bijepur. Sahu won from the constituency for the last three consecutive terms because of Congress votes and this time also the party candidate will win, he said.
On the other hand, senior Congress leader Suresh Kumar Routray alleged that BJD bribed Subal Sahu’s family to join the party. The allegation was, however, refuted by BJD spokesperson Prashant Nanda and Subal’s son Sumeet.

Fissures in Bargarh BJP

Bhubaneswar: The decision of the BJP to induct former BJD MLA Ashok Panigrahy in the party has not gone down well with a section of leaders of Bargarh district unit. Bijepur Assembly seat would be going for a by-poll following the death of Subal Sahu, Congress MLA from the seat. BJP’s Bargarh district president Narayan Sahu and several other functionaries, who are opposed to the candidature of Panigrahy for the by-poll, made their displeasure open by skipping the preparatory meeting held on Sunday to discuss the steps taken for Monday’s welcome programme at Bargarh. The meeting was attended by leader of the BJP legislature party KV Singhdeo, Padampur MLA Pradip Purohit and Subash Chouhan, who unsuccessfully contested the last general election from Bargarh Parliamentary seat. Claiming that Sahu is a disciplined party leader, Purohit told reporters that the district president could not attend the meeting as he was busy mobilising party supporters for the Monday public meeting which will be addressed by Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram besides national general secretary in-charge of Odisha Arun Singh. Earlier, the district unit of the party is stated to have submitted a memorandum to party president Basant Panda and demanded announcement of a candidate from within the party instead of roping in new entrants. Although it has become quite apparent that Panigrahy will be the BJP nominee for the by-election, Panda said a final decision will be taken by the party’s Parliamentary board. So far, no decision has been taken on finalising candidate for the bypoll, he added.