The Zilla Adivasi Kalyan Sangha of Nuapada, an organisation of tribals, held a rally of about 2,000 tribals here on Tuesday to protest against the suspension of tribal leader Bhanupratap Singh Majhi, one of the Zilla Parishad members from the BJD.
Notably, BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik suspended Majhi and BJD district president Prasanna Padhi on Saturday from the party for their alleged antiparty activities.
The rally was followed by a mass meeting in front of the district Collectorate. Tribal leader Balakrushna Sabar, Chairman of
Khariar Panchayat Samiti, criticised the decision of the BJD high command. “We have never gone against the party. If raising voice against any discrimination is anti-party then we will continue to raise voice,” asserted Sabar. “The BJD unit of Nuapada is running at the whims and caprices of corrupt and unscrupulous leaders, black-marketers and brokers. We are against such arbitrary rule,” he added.
Sabar further alleged that Naveen Patnaik has been misguided by leaders like Minister Pushpendu Singh Deo. “Our tribal brothers risking their lives have fought with bow and arrow against Naxals in Sunabeda; and as a reward, we have been ousted from BJD! All the tribal leaders of Nuapada including Khariar MlA Duryodhan Majhi, Ghasiram Majhi, Khamsingh Majhi, Pushpanjali Majhi and myself have been forced one by one to leave the BJD. The BJD district unit is now without tribals due to the anti-tribal attitude of the BJD leadership. This rally is a show against such discrimination,” added Sabar.
In fact, there has been a lot of grumbling among the tribals of Nuapada since Bhanu Majhi was suspended from the party. The decision to suspend Majhi and Prasanna Padhi came after the State party leadership had to bow down to the pressure of the tribal lobby of Nuapada in selection of the ZP president candidate.
It is learnt that Rajendra Dholkia, a BJD vice-president, and lambodar Nial, who was aspirant for the ZP President post, worked for ouster of Majhi from the party.
The election for the post of ZP Vice-President is going to be held on May 6. The Adivasi Sangha is posing Bhanu Majhi as the candidate for this post. They have been assured of votes of five Congress ZP Members and two BJD members including Majhi. Two more BJD members are expected to support the proposal of the Sangha. With nine out of 13 votes being assured, Majhi’s victory is foretold.
Under these circumstances, whatever decision taken by the BJD leadership is not going to impact the equation. But a massive gathering of the tribals on Tuesday is expected to certainly have an impact on the BJD’s future in the district.