Is a rift emerging in the BJD in Bhubaneswar? This question has become the pith of the discussions going on in the political circles after BJD corporator Amaresh Jena alleged that some BJD corporators are in touch with the BJP to switch over to their side.
Amaresh Jena blamed BJD leaders Ashok Chandra Panda and Ananta Narayan Jena, who is also the Bhubaneswar Central MLA, for the fissure developing in the party.
He alleged Panda and Jena are dividing the corporators and are also extracting pledges from the party leaders.
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“BJD leader Ashok Chandra Panda and the party’s Bhubaneswar Central MLA Ananta Narayan Jena are inviting corporators to their houses and asking them to take a pledge to create disturbance in the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation so that their importance will increase. It will be detrimental to the party in the coming days. The situation has come to such a pass that the corporators are not on good terms with each other. I think the BJP will cash in on the present situation. I have also heard of some BJD corporators being in touch with the BJP to switch over to their side,” alleged corporator Amaresh Jena.
While no comments could be received from Ashok Chandra Panda, Ananta Narayan Jena termed such remarks as unfortunate.
“There is no truth in the allegation (that the Bhubaneswar BJD would split into two parts). It is a concocted one. If anyone is saying the Bhubaneswar BJD would split into two parts, it is unfortunate. He may be saying so for his own amusement. We have unity in the party,” said MLA Jena.