Dissidence among senior BJD leaders over Rajya Sabha tickets came to the fore on Sunday as former Koraput BJD MP Jayaram Pangi openly opposed N Baskar Rao’s nomination for the Upper House.
“I should have been given a Rajya Sabha ticket as I deserve it the most. He (Rao) doesn’t deserve a RS member post as he has businesses in Hyderabad,” Pangi told reporters.
He further stated that Rao has to quit one of the two for the good of people. “He should quit either business or turn down the RS offer of the party supremo,” he said.
Notably, BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has already announced names of three leaders, Bishun Das, Prasanna Acharay and Rao, as party candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls to be held on June 11. Rao, who was Vice-Chairman of the State Planning Board, resigned from the post on Saturday.