The welcome ceremony of the newly elected councillors of Sundargarh Municipality on Monday witnessed an inauspicious beginning as the BJP councillor protested when a BJD leader was presiding over the meeting.
Sources said that the municipality executive officer (EO) invited all the elected ward councillors for the reception ceremony. Accordingly, when new chairman Benudhar Tandia and councillors reached the municipality office, they were received by the EO and invited to the council meeting hall. But the meeting hall situation was something different.
BJD district vice-president Janmenjaya Mohapatra was presiding over the meeting and many BJD leaders were already present there occupying the chairs meant for the councillors as if it was a BJD programme and the meeting hall was a BJD office.
Considering it unethical, BJP councillor Himansu Sekhar Sarangi raised an objection saying they were invited by the EO to the civic body welcome meeting and not to a BJD meeting. Soon, he had certain exchange of words with another BJD district vice president lalatendu Parida. This made Sarangi and other BJP councillors leave the meeting.
later, BJP district committee secretary Baikuntha Banchhor in a Press briefing said the BJP councillors were insulted and the party would give its befitting reply in appropriate time. He further alleged that the EO had invited the councillors, but the councillors had to stand up all through as their chairs were occupied by the BJD leaders and a BJD leader was presiding over the meeting which is unfortunate.
He also criticized the role of the EO. The party spokesman Sarangi in his reaction said his party would definitely give its befitting reply in coming days. The EO however declined to give any comment.