Finally, leader of Opposition in the Assembly and Congress MlA from Narla Bhupinder Singh, who had remained incommunicado since Thursday, was available on phone to a local newspaper from an undisclosed location on Saturday.
Talking to the newspaper, he spit fire at the PCC leadership for ham-fisting the selection of candidates for lok Sabha and Assembly elections, ignoring the views of the senior and dedicated leaders. Though he said he was ailing and undergoing treatment for the last few days in a hospital, he seemed to be totally disgusted with the top State Congress leaders having ignored him over some vital issues.
When asked about speculation that he is planning to resign from the Congress and join the BJD, Singh said he would make a formal announcement in this regard very soon. Significantly, he did not reject the speculation outright. Talking about reports of a possible split in the Congress legislature party this month with some members set to join the ruling BJD, Singh said, “let the party MlAs take a decision on their own keeping the interest of the people in mind.”
He said the party MlAs, who had shown their unity during the Rajya Sabha elections, are now being overlooked by the State leadership. Asked if he was eyeing to contest from the Kalahandi lok Sabha seat, he said; “Whether I contest the lok Sabha elections or not is not the big issue. But the fact remains that the State party leadership is not going by the suggestions of AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi in the matter of selection of lok Sabha candidates.”
Singh alleged that the PCC had violated the party guidelines in the matter of nomination of candidates for the lok Sabha elections. “While the party leadership has been sending observers to elicit the opinion of the party workers at the grassroots level for selection of candidates for the Assembly elections, the same procedure is not being followed for the lok Sabha candidates,” Singh pointed out.
The media would come to know about this if it conducts opinion survey in all the blocks of Kalahandi district, he added. Clarifying that he had no information to attend the screening committee meeting held on February 27, Singh said though he had informed the matter to the Central high command through the AICC leader and Odisha in-charge BK Hariprasad, but there had been no response till date.
“The fate of the Congress in Odisha is now in the hands of a couple of senior leaders. Though I have informed the Odisha in-charge about all this time and again, there has been no improvement in the situation,” Singh said. He, however, declined to name these leaders. To a question on how the people would accept his sudden change in stance, Singh said he has always given top priority to the larger interest of the State.
“If necessary, I would never hesitate to raise my voice against the Centre on issues relating to Polavaram, negligence of the Railways and development in the underdeveloped areas of the State,” Singh said, adding emphasis should be given on the welfare of the people than on a particular party.