BJD supremo Naveen Pattnaik has endorsed a list of 33 organisational district presidents and 80 State executive members. But the party’s women leaders of the Sundargarh district are left disgruntled.
While in two organisational district committee of Rourkela and Sundargarh Sarada Prasad Nayak and Binaya Toppo were assigned as chief, four leaders (Mangala Kissan, Dilip Tirkey, Subrat Tarai and Binay Toppo) of the district were inducted in 80 members State executive committee. But not a single woman leader of the district was inducted in it.
Though many of women leaders are aggrieved with this arrangement but do not dare to protest it openly due to certain reasons. Firstly, they are expecting to be acommodated in forthcoming Rajya Sabha election or any other political rehabilitation in various organisations like Rourkela Development Authority (RDA) or Urban Bank Governing body etc.
Secondly, there is a fear of removal from party if they raise voice against the mood of the party boss.
Despite all this a woman leader on condition of anonymity said, “The party and its boss always talk of priority and privilege to woman but in reality, the women are neglected in party and it is more in Sundargarh district.” She said since the formation of Western Odisha Development Council for the first time a woman leader of the district Padmini Sekhar Deo was appointed as its Chairperson. But before two years of her tenure was complete, she was asked to resign. That time it was expected that Deo might be made a candidate for the Rajya Sabha as election for the 3 members of the Upper House in July 2014. But she was ignored.
Similarly, during 2019 election ticket distribution many local leaders stayed disgruntled. Even, leader Minati Debta had filed the nomination as an Independent candidate for Rourkela and later after the intervention of higher-ups in Bhubaneswar she withdrew. That time it was a talk in the city that she would be engaged as RDA Chairperson as the post became vacant after Sarada Nayak quit to file as a candidate for Rourkela Assembly seat. Though since then the post is lying vacant but no one is appointed. Many more women leaders are in party in the district who deserve for the posts but they have been ignored.