TV
A political storm has erupted in the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) after Rajya Sabha MP Debashish Samantaray launched a scathing attack on VK Pandian for allegedly withholding information about the health of party supremo and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Naveen Patnaik.
In a candid interview with a leading newspaper, Samantaray described Pandian’s decision to keep Naveen Patnaik’s health updates under wraps as a ‘serious mistake’ and it will affect the party. He alleged that neither party leaders nor the people of Odisha were informed when Patnaik was unwell at home, and they only came to know about his condition after he was admitted to the hospital.
Naveen Babu is not just the leader of our party; he is the leader of Odisha. His health updates should be known to the people of the state as well as to every BJD leader, Samantaray remarked.
The Parliamentarian further remarked that Pandian has no vision for Odisha, and the BJD’s hold in Cuttack has weakened. He further alleged that Naveen was held on house arrest during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The comments have sparked unease within the BJD, as it is unusual for a senior Parliamentarian to publicly target Pandian, who is considered one of Patnaik’s closest aides. Political observers note that Samantaray’s statement may intensify existing undercurrents within the party.
As of now, V.K. Pandian has not responded to the allegations, while reactions from other BJD leaders, including Samantaray, are awaited.
