BJD – BJP Faceoff Over ‘Insult’ To Leaders At Official Programme In Odisha

Tension erupted at the Odisha Coal and Power Limited (OCPL) mines at Manoharpur in Sundargarh district on Monday after supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) got into a heated exchange of words which led to a scuffle at a programme held to inaugurate the transportation of coal from the mines.

As per reports, a cultural programme was arranged at the OCPL mines marking the its’ first despatch of coal consignment to the OPGC-operated thermal power plant at Ib Valley in Jharsuguda district.

The programme was attended by the State Energy Minister Captain Dibya Shankar Mishra as the chief guest along with Lok Sabha MPs Jual Oram, Suresh Pujari, MLA Kusum Tete and Bhabani Shankar Bhoi. However, tension erupted when Mishra left the podium immediately after giving his address, leaving other guests on the stage.

Mishra sought to exit the stage when MLA Kusum Tete was about to speak. Alleging insult to their leader, the BJP supporters at the venue started sloganeering against the Minister. Following this, BJD workers tried to confront the rivals, leading to a scuffle between them.

The agitated supporters retreated only after the leaders and police intervened and pacified them.

leaders from both the parties (BJP and BJD) are yet to issue any statements over the avoidable incidence.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Odisha Coal and Power Limited (OCPL) is a state-run company constituted in 2015. The OCPL got incorporated as a wholly owned subsidiary company of OPGC Ltd (Odisha Power Generation Corporation Limited) on January 20, 2015 with the main objective of mining and supply of coal.