Pradesh Congress Committee president Prasad Harichandan, Jharsuguda MlA Naba Kishore Das and Opposition Chief Whip in the State Assembly Tara Prasad Bahinipati on Sunday left for New Delhi to meet AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday.
According to sources, the three leaders made separate journeys to the national capital reportedly following calls from Gandhi.
The leaders’ visit has set off speculations about a change in the Chief Whip post as earlier some leaders had met Gandhi and placed a demand in this regard, according to party sources. While Naba Das is the choice of many MlAs for the post, calling the PCC president and Bahinipati to Delhi indicates that the party high command wants go by a majority’s choice while not harming the incumbent one.
Earlier too, a closed door meeting had been held in a hotel here where all MlAs, excepting leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra and Odisha in-charge BK Hariprasad were present. After the meeting, Bahinipati had told mediapersons that it would not matter if the Opposition Chief Whip post is taken out from him. “I will do whatever would be good for the party,” Bahinipati had said.