As speculations continue, BJD’s Kendrapara MP, Baijayant Panda stated in his tweet message that he is happy that Naveen met some leaders who share the same concerns with him and heard them in the interest of the party and Odisha.
While some might feel it is house cleaning others doubt it to be a camouflage strategy to protect V Karthikeyan Pandian, the IAS officer and his private secretary who is considered to be the second power centre within the ruling BJD.
Reports claim that Naveen met Baishnab and Nabin in presence of MLA Pranab Prakash Das and Pandian.
“The meeting was with the CM and Pandian was present. Even Pranab Prakash Das was present and I feel that if such meetings are called to discuss all the issues from time to time it will be helpful for the party,” said Baishnab.
“I want the party not to face any problems in future. Yesterday even I told the CM that he should take the decisions even if people suggest a lot of things,” said Naveen.
It’s difficult to understand how the issues related to Pandian’s interference in politics could have been discussed in presence of the bureaucrat himself. So if it was not about the officer, was it about the party given the fact that 2019 elections are round the corner which leaves Naveen with little leeway for bold castigations.
“When the party chief spoke about the need of introspection, the party’s strategy has been the same. There is nothing new and there are no aberrations,” BJD spokesperson, Pratap Deb said.
Meanwhile, Nabin has praised Baijayant and replying to the latter’s tweet said that all his efforts will bear fruits in the coming days.
In the FB post, he stated,"Should CM be puppet on a chain to his PS? Will the fate of political leaders be decided by Odias or Tamilian officer?"
Baliarsingh further said that the BJD is being run by bureaucrats who have established themselves as the epicentre of power and decide the fate of political leaders in the party.
Meanwhile, disheartened with the comments of Chief Minister that only people who don't have other issues, attack his office, BJD's Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda once again took to social networking site Facebook to express his disappointment.
Pointing once again at the babudom interference in Odisha politics, Panda stated," By now every child in Odisha knows about the said officer's massive corruption, encouragement of goondagiri, protection of criminals, and his interference in politics. It was very disheartening to see my leader, whom I have admired and supported for more than two decades, not even consider what havoc is being committed by one bad apple in the system."
On Friday, the MP had also expressed his disappointment through twitter and Facebook about dismissal of his allegations as baseless by BJD president and CM Naveen Patnaik.
Meanwhile, BJD Spokesperson Sasmit Patra, in his reply to Baliarsingh's Facebook post, said, "He should at least have some respect for media and the people of Odisha. Is he so big a personality that he doesn't want to speak to the media directly? "
“Baliarsingh can make social media a weapon, but he is unable to speak directly to the people. I think this is completely a disrespectful attitude,” added Patra.