Bhubaneswar: The infighting within the Bharatiya Janata Patry (BJP) intensified when party’s senior leader Bijoy Mohapatra Sunday lambasted the party for batting for the Central PSU Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL).
Days after writing a letter to the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan about Oriya people not being given employment in the Paradip IOCL refinery, an irked Mohapatra said, “IOCL does not belong to BJP. Why is the party acting as its broker and giving clarifications instead of the company authorities? It is a government organization and they should give clarification. Why has the party became so reactive in this case, I cannot understand?”
Fumed over no employment been given to a single person from the districts of Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur in the refinery during the last three years , the veteran censured the party for the employment data it has presented, alleging it to be old. Challenging the data of the report he asked his party to put out its details to support their (BJP’s) claims.
However, taking a balanced approach he mentioned that he wasn’t targeting anybody and he won’t ever do so in future.
The party, on the other hand, answered the queries of Mohapatra, advising him to refrain from creating speculations.
“His allegation that IOCL’s facts and figures are mismatched is completely untrue. IOCL has provided the details of Oriyas posted in executive, non-executive and contractual posts. BJP has the complete list of the state people and it is not only for the sake of replying to Bijoy babu but it will also help others from getting deluded,” said state BJP General Secretary Prithviraj Harichandan.
As per party’s interference is concern, Harichandan said, “Bijoy babu had not written to the managing director of IOCL but to the minister Dharmendra Pradhan and that’s why on his behalf the party had presented the facts.”
Meanwhile, Bijoy and his supporters from Kendrapara district didn’t attend the membership meeting (Mishrana Parva) held in Kendrapara Sunday in presence of Union minister Pradhan.
When asked about his absence at the function, Mohapatra replied that neither the party president nor anyone from the party had invited or informed him about the event. Interestingly, this was not the first time that he has not attended a party programme.
Harichandan said that Mohapatra was informed and invited for the event by the proper forum. However, he said “A high-level panel of the party decides on who will join the party. His permission is not required for this.”
While Mohapatra’s supporters were fuming over their leader’s absence in the mega membership function, posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dhamendra Pradhan were found destroyed in the district.
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