Bhubaneswar: Claiming that the party’s popularity is growing in the state, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Niranjan Patnaik Friday said there will be no impact on the party if he quits the party now. This statement of Niranjan has raised questions on his leadership and ability to lead the grand old party in the state, observers said.
Speaking to reporters in the aftermath of the resignations of two senior leaders Naba Das and Jogesh Singh, Patnaik said, “There will be no impact on the Congress if any one leaves the party. If I also quit the party, there will be no impact on it” On politics in Jharsuguda, once considered a stronghold of Congress, he said, “As far as Jharsuguda is concerned there are many leaders to take charge of the party affairs in the area.”
To divert Congress and its president’s popularity, the BJD government is making all kinds of conspiracy, he alleged. The PCC suspended Singh for just praising the CM while it has failed to take action against former MLA Krushna Chandra Sagaria, who is openly speaking against the leadership here. If Sagaria does not change his behavior, a ticket will not be given to him in next election, warned Niranjan.
However, Sagaria retaliated soon, saying “Congress party is not the parental property of Niranjan. Who is he (Niranjan) to announce refusal of a ticket to me. AICC will take the decision whether I will get a ticket or not.” “The comments from Niranjan Patnaik are anti-party and he along with Soumya Ranjan Patnaik is trying to ruin the state Congress. I will inform about the situation to party president Rahul Gandhi.”
Jogesh resigns from Congress, Assembly
Suspended Congress MLA Jogesh Singh Friday resigned from the party and also announced his decision to step down from the membership of the Odisha Assembly. Singh was suspended by the Congress Thursday on charge of anti-party activities and tarnishing image of the party in public. The Sundargarh MLA’s resignation came barely two days after Jharsuguda MLA Naba Kishore Das also tendered his resignation from the party. The resignation of two MLAs has come as a major setback for the opposition Congress. Questioning the ground on which he was suspended, Singh, a two-time MLA, sent his resignation letter to Congress president Rahul Gandhi.