Bhupinder surfaces, says still with party

Bhubaneswar: Senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh, who remained incommunicado for the last four days keeping his party colleagues in suspense about his possible resignation, surfaced before media on
Monday and put all speculations to rest.

"I was very sick and would have gone to coma. I was undergoing treatment after returning from Delhi on February 24. It is a matter of concern that so many things were published in the media on me when I

was under medical observation", Singh told media. "However, I have not resigned from the party", he clarified.

"On being asked why he and his family kept his hospitalization a secret, he said " The hospital authority admitted me on that condition that we would not divulge the name and address of hospital."

Speculation was rife for last three four days that Singh, who is also the Leader Of Opposition in Odisha Assembly, is planning to resign from Congress and join BJD. Rumour spread that he might take a tough
stand on the matter if he is not allowed to contest the Lok Sabha seat from Kalahandi.

No Congress leaders including PCC president Jayadev Jena and Singh's childhood friend and former minister Prakash Debata failed to contact him.

Speculation over resignation came to the fore when the leader stayed him away from the party meeting held in Delhi to discuss candidates for forthcoming polls. Reliable sources said, Singh is planning to
quit party if he is not allowed to contest from the Kalahandi Lok Sabha.