The Keonjhar district unit of the BJP seems to have been stabbed at back by some elderly leaders when the saffronists across the State have been energised in the wake of buoyant local body poll outcome in the party’s favour.
It has been noticed that some senior leaders have been complaining of ‘inattention’ by the party leadership since Congress duo, Prithviraj Kuanr and Dhanurjoy Siddhus, were inducted into the party by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
leading role of opposition was being played by the Congress since the year of 2000 in this bordering district. But many district leaders of Congress under the stewardship of Prithviraj and Siddhu joined the BJP in a grand gala. Comparatively young, Prithviraj kicked-off party programmes in his Ghashipura Assembly segment and local electorates accepted him to counter local MlA and Cabinet Minister BN Patro. Prithviraj’s election case against Patro is still sub-judiced at the Orissa High Court.
Surprisingly, Prithviraj could hold a mammoth rally in Deogaon, a BJD basin which was addressed by district president Radha Mohanto, secretary Subroto Mohanty besides Prithviraj himself. Prithviraj’s , achievement caused more pain to the so called ‘elders’ in the BJP than to the opponent BJD. More than a dozen of senior leaders have reportedly complained that they have been sidelined.
However, Deogaon Mandal chief Radheshyam Rana said even as he had withdrawn application begging permission for Deogaon rally in face of telephonic threatens from BJD ‘goons’, district president Radha Mohanto and Prithviraj could organise successfully.
Meanwhile, Mohanto turned down to say anything on the organisational matter in the public. “All is well at Keonjhar,” Mohanto told reporters.
But some so-called senior leaders have demanded a change in the guard of the party’s district unit at the earliest. “Party high command will be held responsible if their demand to change the guard in the district is not considered soon”, said some party leaders on condition of anonymity.
When contacted, Prithviraj expressed his satisfaction over the party’s activities in his home area. Thanking the general public for huge turning up to the BJP’s programmes, he conceded all credit to the party office bearers in Ghasipura Assembly. So also, party leaders in Keonjhar Sadar and Anandpur, Mohan Majhi and Bhagirathi Sethy, expressed pleasure over the party’s increasing pace in their respective constituencies.