Party being hijacked by a few, warns senior BJD MLA | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: The row within the BJD refuses to die down with senior MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain alleging that the party was being “hijacked” by a few individuals and urged BJD president Naveen Patnaik to intervene.
In a letter dated April 9, which surfaced on Monday, the eight-time MLA wrote, “Let not a few hijack the party, distort the social fabric, or deepen regional imbalances. Only then can our party organisation truly uphold the ideals of social justice and regional balance.”
Trouble started after BJD told its seven Rajya Sabha members to vote as per conscience on the Waqf Bill, having initially decided to oppose it. This resulted in massive discord and blame game in the BJD.
Swain wrote that the controversy over BJD’s unclear stance on the Waqf Bill and discontent among party workers raised question mark about the party’s commitment to secularism. Swain, a founding member of the BJD and former minister, emphasised that the politics of Biju Patnaik was rooted in social justice with secularism and regional pride as its core values.
“It’s time to reclaim our ideological legacy and reassert our identity as a party rooted in social justice with secularism and regional dignity as its pillars,” wrote the 72-year-old Athagarh legislator.
Swain also outlined key suggestions for the party, including advocating for a caste census, implementing the Supreme Court’s orders on mining taxation, enforcing the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, and pursuing special category status for Odisha.
Responding to the allegations, BJD coordination committee head Debi Prasad Mishra, who is also a founding member of the party, said, “We are taking everybody along — SCs, STs and OBCs. I am not aware of the party being hijacked by anyone. He (Swain) can explain about the hijack.”
Mishra said one should wait for the outcome of ongoing organisational polls before judging the results. “He is also a very senior leader, having vast experience. If he has got any clue about any hijack, he can explain better,” he added.
The controversy surfaces as BJD prepares to elect Naveen as party chief for the ninth consecutive term later this month, with organisational elections currently underway at district and block levels.
In a letter dated April 9, which surfaced on Monday, the eight-time MLA wrote, “Let not a few hijack the party, distort the social fabric, or deepen regional imbalances. Only then can our party organisation truly uphold the ideals of social justice and regional balance.”
Trouble started after BJD told its seven Rajya Sabha members to vote as per conscience on the Waqf Bill, having initially decided to oppose it. This resulted in massive discord and blame game in the BJD.
Swain wrote that the controversy over BJD’s unclear stance on the Waqf Bill and discontent among party workers raised question mark about the party’s commitment to secularism. Swain, a founding member of the BJD and former minister, emphasised that the politics of Biju Patnaik was rooted in social justice with secularism and regional pride as its core values.
“It’s time to reclaim our ideological legacy and reassert our identity as a party rooted in social justice with secularism and regional dignity as its pillars,” wrote the 72-year-old Athagarh legislator.
Swain also outlined key suggestions for the party, including advocating for a caste census, implementing the Supreme Court’s orders on mining taxation, enforcing the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, and pursuing special category status for Odisha.
Responding to the allegations, BJD coordination committee head Debi Prasad Mishra, who is also a founding member of the party, said, “We are taking everybody along — SCs, STs and OBCs. I am not aware of the party being hijacked by anyone. He (Swain) can explain about the hijack.”
Mishra said one should wait for the outcome of ongoing organisational polls before judging the results. “He is also a very senior leader, having vast experience. If he has got any clue about any hijack, he can explain better,” he added.
The controversy surfaces as BJD prepares to elect Naveen as party chief for the ninth consecutive term later this month, with organisational elections currently underway at district and block levels.
