Infighting: Naveen to meet leaders after Puja

Times of India, Oct 18, 2015
BHUBANESWAR: Amid reports of growing infighting in the party, chief minister Naveen Patnaik would meet the leaders after Durga Puja.

The district observers, who oversaw the padayatra programme, have already submitted reports to the state observers regarding internal wrangling.

"Whatever happened during the padayatra programme, we have submitted the report to the state observers. The chief minister is likely to visit New Delhi during the puja vacation. After that, he will go through the reports and summon leaders for discussion," said a senior leader of the party.

During the annual padayatra programme, which was launched on October 2 with an aim to refurbish party's image, the BJD faced embarrassment due to disagreement among own party leaders at a number of places, including Jagatsinghpur, Malkangiri, Balasore, Kalahandi and Sambalpur.

The leader said the party is growing. So, it is natural to have differences of opinion among leaders. But it sends a wrong message to the people. "The chief minister is not happy with the reports of infighting. Disciplinary action is likely to be taken against some leaders," he added.

Meanwhile, housing and urban development minister Pushpendra Singh Deo on Saturday met the chief minister at his residence along with other MLAs of the Kalahandi district he represents. "We met the chief minister to discuss some of the problems of our district. It was not related to padayatra," said Singh Deo.

Since some of the leaders faced public ire during the padayatra programme at Mayurbhanj, Malkangiri and Jagatsinghpur, Naveen is likely to go to the root.

According to party insiders, the chief minister has also collected reports of infighting from some other sources.