Some key BJD leaders skip party meet, fuel discord talk
The meeting, which took place at senior MLA Pratap Keshari Deb's residence in Bhubaneswar, was called to discuss the BJD's organisational roadmap in Puri district.
However, the absence of key figures like Puri MLA Sunil Mohanty, Kakatpur MLA Tusharkanti Behera and senior leader Sanjay Kumar Das Burma has raised eyebrows.
From Puri district's six assembly constituencies — Puri, Brahmagiri, Satyabadi, Pipili, Kakatpur and Nimapara — BJD could win only in Puri and Kakatpur, while BJP claimed the remaining four in the 2024 elections.
"The non-attendance of BJD's two MLAs from Puri district at a strategy meeting indicates all is not well in the party.
Senior leader Das Burma, a former minister and previous Brahmagiri MLA, was not present. This indicates poor coordination among party leaders in Puri," political analyst Rabi Das said, adding that "After the party's debacle in the 2024 elections, BJD has been facing organisational challenges at several places in the state.
"
BJD's Puri district president Umakanta Samantray, who attended the meeting, dismissed suggestions of discord.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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"We all are united. There is no rift. Our meeting concentrated on strengthening BJD's position in Puri district," said Samantray, a former MLA from Satyabadi. He said the absence of some leaders should not interpreted negatively.
Puri MLA Mohanty attributed his absence to prior commitments. "I was visiting some areas in my constituency. So I could not attend the meeting in Bhubaneswar," Mohanty told TOI. Das Burma and Tusharkanti were unavailable for comment.
BJD's Rajya Sabha member and prominent Puri leader, Subhasish Khuntia, also affirmed party unity. "We discussed our roadmap and smooth conduct of organisational election in blocks and urban local bodies in Puri district," Khuntia said after coming out of the meeting. He avoided question on the absence of some key leaders in the meeting.
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