Bhubaneswar: The second column of BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab criticising party leaders Damodar Rout and Surya Narayan Patro and claiming cracks in party today invited sharp reaction from BJD circles. Even the party president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik expressed displeasure over party leaders making such views in media.
Talking to reporters, the BJD supremo asked the party leaders expressing opinion on party affairs in media, to refrain from doing so. “If senior leaders have anything negative to say, they should come to me with their complaints & not go to media”, the CM said.
The editorial has irked some leaders including BJD vice-president Surya Narayan Patro, who has been mentioned in the writeup for his previous comments. Patro said BJD president has taken it seriously and it is up to him to initiate any action against the MP. “The CM’s order to meet him directly if anyone has any issue clearly indicates that he has taken it in a negative way. The ball is now in CM’s court. It is up to him whether he would take any action against him”, Patro said.
The article also did not go well with Cuttack-Barabati MLA and spokesperson Debasish Samantaray, who came down heavily on the parliamentarian. “Has he ever reviewed poll results of his constituency and visited Narsinghpur and Badamba areas? I appeal the honourable MP to be with the party and refrain from making such views in media”, the legislator said.
The Lok Sabha member from Cuttack, in his article published today, criticised senior leaders Damodar Rout and Surya Patro for their remarks on his first column. Mahtab clarified that this writeup is not meant for them and the sole objective is to clarify his stand as some news channels tried to amplify the first article.
The parliamentarian expressed displeasure as some leaders at grassroots level are not invited to the district-wari meetings. He felt that these leaders would revolt if they feel their presence in party is meaningless. So, the MLAs should be asked to cement the cracks in the party at their respective constituencies, he had mentioned in the column.