BJD tickets to new faces sparks row in Kalahandi

The Pioneer, April 4, 2009
Bikash Khemka | Bhawanipatna

The BJD top brass may be justified in its view to dole out party tickets to new faces but the decision have irked the party’s old members in Kalahandi district who have quit the party to teach a lesson to the party bosses.

Around 30 BJD supporters quit the party and joined the Congress on Friday under the leadership of PCC working president Bhakta Charan Das.

Aspiring candidate of BJD Ayub Ali Khan and former general secretary of BJD’s youth wing joined the Congress when he was denied ticket by BJD supremo for Junagarh Assembly seat. When asked why he left the party, Ayub said there is no internal democracy in the party. The Kalahandi district president and secretary have no worth in the BJD.

Ayub alleged that the BJD has given its party ticket for Bhawanipatna Assembly constituency to Jayanta Naik who had thrown leaflets against the Government while the Assembly session was on. “It is a shame for us. No BJD worker wants to work for the party anymore.” He said, “We feel that the people need a leader like Bhakta Das.”

Another aspirant of BJD Dharmendra Naik who was the district general secretary of the BJD also joined the Congress.

Dharmendra alleged that there was partiality and irregularities in choosing candidate by Naveen Patnaik. “So we left the BJD and joined the Congress.

He also said that he will try his best to defeat the BJD candidates and bring back the Congress again in the district. Among others, former president of Mahila Cell Nalini Majhi and general secretary of SJP Kumuda Prasad Bag also quit their party and joined the Congress.

Congress leader Bhakta said after a long time his old friends have come together to work with him to improve the strength of the Congress. Politics is a medium to improve the condition of the people and sustain democracy. The BJD was also giving me a chance to join the party but I declined the offer.