Bhubaneswar: A day after BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik suspended Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda from the party’s primary membership Wednesday; senior party leaders said that Patnaik’s action has sent a warning to other party members to abstain from indulging in anti-party activities.
Welcoming Patnaik’s decision, BJD MLA from Barabati and party spokesman Debasish Samantray said that, “The party president’s move will strengthen the BJD further in the coming days.”
He said, “His (Panda’s) suspension will serve as a warning for others in the party.”
Responding to a question on allegations of the Opposition that Panda’s suspension was a tactical move of the ruling dispensation to divert public attention from Kunduli tragedy, Samantray said that it has nothing to do with the Kunduli issue.
He said the decision against Panda has been taken after several warnings, as he continued to attack Chief Minister’s Office without any reason.
Other BJD leaders also welcomed Patnaik’s decision.
“Panda’s conduct during the PRI election was totally against the party. He not only did not campaign for the party candidates even in his own constituency, but indulged in anti-party activities by supporting Opposition candidates,” party’s vice-president Surya Narayan Patro informed the media while announcing Panda’s suspension Wednesday.
Not only Panda, previously Patnaik had also taken similar actions against several other leaders who were found to be indulging in anti-party activities, Patro said Thursday.
After party MP Bhartruhari Mahtab’s ‘Congress-BJD alliance’ comment kicked up a storm in 2016, the party chief had clearly asked all senior leaders to put their views on all sensitive matters as well as internal affairs of the party at appropriate forum and not go to the public. The leaders should not act against this whip, said a BJD leader.
PNN