Even as the State Congress leaders are upset over non-inclusion of any MP of the State party in Monday’s reshuffle of the Union Ministry, BK Hariprasad is scheduled to arrive here on June 27 on his maiden visit to the State after being appointed by the AICC as the in-charge of the State Congress.
Hariprasad would be apprised of the “injustice” meted out to the State by not inducting any of the five lok Sabha members (the sixth member is existing Minister Srikant Jena) and one Rajya Sabha member into the Central Council of Ministers, said party sources here.
They said that a better representation of Odisha in the Union Ministry by including a second Minister and elevating the only one from the State, Srikant Jena, from the Minister of State status to the cabinet rank would have helped the party’s image in view of the approaching general elections.
Meanwhile on Tuesday, Sundargarh Congress MP and former Chief Minister Hemanand Biswal, who was an aspirant for a berth in the Union Cabinet, virtually revolted against the party high command for ignoring the State’s claim.
Biswal told a TV channel that the high command’s attitude towards Odisha shows that the State party is no more of any use for it.
This would not augur well for the party in the elections, he tried to impress upon the AICC leadership.
Biswal said the Congress MPs from the State mostly represent the tribal and backward regions and the people in these areas are disappointed over the non-inclusion of anyone of them in the Central Ministry.
The State Congress is also embarrassed over the criticism by Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders that the Congress high command has always been Odisha in every respect, the latest being denial of the State’s fresh representation in the Central Ministry.