Even as the infighting within the State Congress unit continues unabated, Jeypore MlA and party Chief Whip in Assembly Tara Prasad Bahinipati on Friday had a dig at Pradesh Congress Committee president Prasad Harichandan by challenging him to contest the next elections from Hinjili against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Bahinipati, who is vocal for ousting Harichandan from the post of PCC chief, said that while Naveen Patnaik is the head of the BJD, Harichandan Prasad is the head of State Congress. If Harichandan contests from Hinjili against Patnaik, he (Bahinipati) would campaign for him. When asked what would be the outcome of the contest, Bahinipati said the PCC chief would win by a margin of more than 40,000 votes.
However, senior Congress leader and Harichandan father-in-law Suresh Routray said, “Who is he (Bahinipati) to decide from where Prasad would contest. It is Rahul Gandhi who would give party tickets. Besides, he (Bahinipati) knows that Prasad contests from Sakhigopal. Has he ever campaigned for anyoneIJ”