Congress is run by a coterie,” said former Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik here on Sunday while keeping his view on his party’s recent developments including joining of party’s senior leaders Bhupinder Singh and Anup Sai in the BJD.
The Congress leader backed Singh’s allegation that senior members are being neglected in the party. “It is very unfortunate that our party told the leader of the Opposition to step down just a month before the general elections,” lamented Patnaik.
He said, “It is the duty of the Congress high command and State leaders to strengthen the party by looking into the matter in a sensitive way,” said Patnaik, adding, “If the leaders do not take all the workers in an organised manner, Congress may have to pay a heavy price for it.”
Expressing grave concern over the party’s leadership, Patnaik said the persons-in-charge of the party should take appropriate decisions so that the party can fight well in the ensuing elections.
Meanwhile, party’s State campaign committee chief Srikant Jena said that Singh had a long relation with BJD president Naveen Patnaik before resigning from Congress party. “Now people of the State saw his real face after he crossed over to BJD,” said Jena.