Rourkela: The serious differences between the two top BJP leaders in the Steel City – state spokesperson Dhiren Senapaty and 2019 MLA candidate from Rourkela Nihar Ray – do not seem to be waning, rather it look intensified further. Significantly, the stern request from top party leader and Central minister Dharmendra Pradhan to the warring leaders does not appear to have brought any reconciliation. The two frontline leaders don’t see eye to eye these days. And this is no secret here. In the better interest of the party, Pradhan tried to bring them closer during his last visit here. Even he made a strong request to them to come closer by burying their differences.
However, it has not borne any result. Recently, the youth wing of the party staged a ‘gherao’ of WATCO office. While Dhiren was present in support, Ray was conspicuous by his absence. Even Ray’s close aide Ankush Burma, former vice-president of Yuva Morcha, did not participate in the demonstration. Both Ray and Burma were found at Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) on the same day. Ray, along with his supporters, staged a demonstration in front of the Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) office December 25. He was reported to have come into push and shove with the police present there. Neither Dhiren nor his associates were present on the occasion. On the same day, BJP celebrated Veer Bal Diwas at the Gandhi Road Gurudwara. It was organized by Dhiren. Ray’s absence seems to have caught everybody’s attention.
In another instance, Dhiren conducted a press conference flaying the spread of diarrhoea, and subsequently cholera. The event was attended by the president of the party here, Latika Pattnaik, and others close to Dhiren. “Ray was invited to attend, but he did not turn up,” said a party cadre at the party office after the press conference. Another person, who is close to both said, “It seems the gulf between them has increased further after Dharmendra bhai made them a request. This is not good.”
Last time in 2019, Dhiren had lost out to Nihar in the ticket race for the prestigious Rourkela seat. Dhiren is a career BJP worker and began his association with the party as an RSS cadre. After the ticket fiasco, Ray had personally called on him, and several leaders had also persuaded Dhiren. At that time it looked like things had calmed down between them. However, a person in the know said, “it was a temporary truce and in due course of time the wound is festering further.”