Fissures surface in BJD's Patkura unit

Factionalism in the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has come to the fore in the Patkura constituency of Kendrapara district after the party's district unit president Utkal Keshari Parida allegedly made an objectionable comment on former MLA, late Ved Prakash Agarwal.

It is alleged that while addressing a meeting organised by Patkura Swabhiman Manch some days ago at Gualsingh panchayat under Derabish block, the BJD district unit president made some observations about the late MLA.  

Such remarks allegedly enraged the supporters of sitting MLA Sabitri Agarwal, the wife of the late legislator. Angry BJD workers and supporters of Sabitri Agarwal staged protests against Parida at Baruni Chhak in Garadpur block on Saturday.  Shouting slogans against Parida, they also burnt his effigy.  

Bhajahari Senapati, a BJD worker, took a dig at the BJD district unit president, dubbing him a sand mafia. “We held a protest meeting against him. Our former MLA Ved Prakash Agarwal was Vikash Purusa. Parida has made an objectionable comment on our late leader,” he fumed. 

On the other hand, Utkal Keshari Parida denied the allegations saying, "It is a conspiracy against me. They did not understand what I had said about the legislator. It is purely misunderstanding on the part of my BJD colleagues.”