Speculations that Jharsuguda Congress MlA Naba Kishore Das may join the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) before the next general elections gathered further momentum as he was conspicuous by his absence at the Congress legislature Party (ClP) meeting here on Wednesday, a couple of days after publicly praising Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at a function marking opening of the Biju Expressway in his constituency.
Das was among four MlAs who abstained from the ClP meeting, which was called to discuss the party’s strategy to take on the BJD in the State Assembly during its ensuing Budget Session starting on March 20.
Notably, Das sang paeans extolling the virtues of Patnaik at the Jharsuguda meeting which has been raising eyebrows in political circles. He lauded the Chief Minister’s “humanitarian considerations” towards Opposition leaders and went on to say that Jharsuguda has witnessed considerable development due to the untiring efforts of the Chief Minister.
“The Chief Minister has given due importance to all our genuine demands including a super specialty hospital, a heart hospital, a cancer hospital and good roads in Jharsuguda. Many more projects are on cards,” Das said, adding, “No word can describe the greatness of Naveen Patnaik.”
Das is a veteran Congress leader and has twice defeated BJD stalwart Kishore Kumar Mohanty by comfortable margins in the Jharsuguda constituency. He is among the very few Congress leaders who are able to organise mega events for the party across the State. When the Congress faced debacles in the Zilla Parishad elections elsewhere last year, it was only Jharsuguda district where Das achieved huge victory for the party.
But the way Das was sidetracked in the recent Bijepur by-election by his party leadership has probably not gone down well with him, according to political observers. Besides, his stand for change of the PCC leadership has also not been appreciated by the party high command so far though the general elections are drawing near.
However, Das has denied the speculations. “I have no plans to leave the Congress. I spoke the truth about the Chief Minister and his vision for Jharsuguda,” he said.