If Union Minister Jairam Ramesh’s statement on State Congress rebel leader Soumya Ranjan Patnaik is any indication, the latter is likely face axe from the party high command soon if he does not mend his ways.
Patnaik, who has been served a week’s show-cause notice by the PCC disciplinary committee, is required to submit his reply by Monday.
Jairam Ramesh during his Odisha visit on Saturday significantly said, “He (Patnaik) may be contemplating to join some other party, but till he is in the Congress party, he has to abide by the ideals and discipline of the party. Anyone disobeying the party principle has no place in the Congress.”
Ramesh, considered as close to 10 Janpath, New Delhi, was displeased over the intra-party dissidence in State Congress, especially ahead of the general elections.
Ramesh, who has been trying hard to improve the Congress’ stock in Odisha, as is evident from his regular visits to the State and attacking the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD Government on crucial issues, seems quite disturbed over Soumya Patnaik’s dissident activities ever since his elder brother Niranjan Patnaik was replaced as the PCC president in May this year.
“BJD is not winning consecutively, but Congress is losing regularly. The loss for the Congress is only due to infighting in the party. If you continue to do so, the party may suffer again in the 2014 elections,” Ramesh observed, referring to the alleged anti-party activities of Soumya Patnaik.
Ramesh remarked, “Naveen is happy over the infighting in the Congress and he worships certain Congress leaders for their destructive natures. He knows that as long as infighting continues in Congress, he will win polls.”
Alleging that Naveen Patnaik is heading a corrupt Government, Ramesh said that defeating the BJD is not at all a difficult task if Congress people fight one target. The Congress in Odisha, instead, have different targets, their targets being their own party leaders and not Naveen Patnaik or the BJD, he said.