The speculations over Congress leader and leader of Opposition in the Odisha legislative Assembly Bhupinder Singh quitting the party mounted on Friday as he continued to remain untraced for the last two days.
Singh’s absence in the Congress Screening Committee meeting held in New Delhi on Thursday created suspicions that he might quit the party soon. The rumors erupted as he had earlier stated that he wanted to contest from Kalahandi lok Sabha seat in the ensuing general elections and incumbent MP Bhakta Das reacted to him saying he should wait and watch for the party decision.
The whereabouts of Singh was not known to the party’s senior leaders by Friday late evening. “Despite repeated attempts, I have been unable to talk to Singh,” said Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Jaydev Jena.
Similarly, former PCC president Niranjan Patnaik informed the media that some sources told him that Singh was in Cuttack. However, commenting on Singh’s resignation rumors, Patnaik said, “It is certainly disappointing if the rumor is true.”
Party’s another senior leader lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra exuded hope that Singh would not quit Congress. “Singh started politics in Congress. It is unbelievable that he would quit the party,” he said.