Puri: A reported ‘faction’ in the Puri unit of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) came to the fore during the observance of late Chief Minister Biju Patnaik’s birth anniversary here Tuesday when the occasion was observed separately by two groups.
A group led by former city municipality chairman Jayanta Kumar Sarangi and BJD leaders Gourahari Pradhan and Shubhasis Khuntia took out a rally to observe the legendary leader’s birth anniversary. Members of the group offered lamps at the Lions’ Gate of Srimandir before paying floral tributes at a statue of Patnaik at the Hospital Square.
Another group led by BJD city unit president Sabyasachi Mahapatra also reached the Lions’ Gate of Srimandir in a rally and offered earthen lamps to observe Patnaik’s birth anniversary. Later, local MLA and Revenue Minister Maheswar Mohanty joined the group and paid floral tributes to the late leader at the Hospital Square.
When contacted, Mohanty said he had no idea why some people observed the occasion separately. However, BJD city unit president Sabyasachi Mahapatra blamed former municipality chairperson Sarangi for organisation of a separate rally to observe Patnaik’s birth anniversary. “Sarangi was trying to divide Sakhigopal unit of BJD. Now, he is doing the same here. But, he would not succeed. Sarangi brought some people from Sakhigopal to observe Biju babu’s birth anniversary,” Mahapatra alleged.
Sarangi, however, claimed that he has been observing the occasion for last several years. “Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is our leader. I have no knowledge of what others are doing,” Sarangi said.
Meanwhile, BJD leader Gourahari Pradhan said they had joined BJD as they were highly inspired by Biju babu’s ideology. “No one needs permission to observe the legendary leader’s birth anniversary. Similarly, no one has been forbidden to celebrate the occasion,” Pradhan said.