BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab is in trouble for his seeming over-smart pro-Congress statements last week contrary to the avowed stand of the State’s ruling party.
As if as a reminder to him over his indiscipline in the party, BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has said he has not yet received from Mahtab a reply to the letter of explanation regarding his controversial statement.
Patnaik has four days ago served a letter to Mahtab for his alleged antiparty statement on the BJD’s relationship with other national parties.
Mahtab seems to be apologetic as before replying to the virtual show-cause notice he has said, “Naveen Patnaik is my leader, and I will reply his letter after receiving it.”
The letter issued to the Cuttack MP has two charges: one, he has given statements regarding a possibility of the BJD forging an alliance with the Congress which is against the BJD’s stand.
Two, the five-time MP has been giving antiparty statements to the media without permission of party supremo Patnaik.
Patnaik’s added anger with Mahtab is his claim that he made the statement at the former’s behest. More importantly, to Patnaik’s ire, Mahtab stated that the BJD is resorting to doublespeak while dealing with the Modi Government at the Centre.
In fact, Mahtab, who is the BJD leader in lok Sabha, has made back-to back statements that run against the BJD’s stands. On October 31 also, he had come out with similar statements vis-à-vis the national political parties.
However, political observers wonder how Mahtab, given his vast experience, made such statements without any reason.