A day after Tara Prasad Bahinipati and Narasingha Mishra rumoured to have resigned from their party posts, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik on Thursday feigned ignorance on the development.
Patnaik said he has no knowledge about resignation of Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati from party chief whip post and Narasingha Mishra from the position of legislative party leader. He said the two leaders have not held any discussion with him.
“Party chief whip post is created by Congress legislature party (CLP), not by the PCC. There are rumours that Tara Bahinipati has quit the post. The CLP exactly can tell whether he has resigned from the post or not. Narasingha Mishra (leader of Congress legislative party) can answer the question,” said Patnaik.
Asked about the possible reason behind quitting the party posts by the two leaders, Patnaik said, “I would say they quit the posts for their own interest. Earlier, Congress was a better party for them. But what has gone wrong now. We all are responsible for everything in the party, whether it is good or bad.”
The reportedly resignation of the two leaders came close on the heels of growing demand for a change of guard in OPCC.
The grand old party's state in-charge A Chellakumar chaired a meeting with the party leaders and said, “Since the OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik has submitted his resignation, it is my duty to hear the views of all the leaders including MLAs, MPs and other senior leaders.”