BJD's Koraput ZP chairman aspirant suspended from party

Jeypore: Zilla parishad chairman candidate of Koraput district Dumuri Khila was suspended by BJD district president Jayaram Pangi today from the party for staying away from the voting for the ZP chairman post while disobeying the whip issued by the party chief Naveen Patnaik.

Earlier in the day, Dumuri Khila and his supporters burnt the BJD flag to show their displeasure as Prabhu Jali was chosen as the party’s ZP chairman candidate in Koraput.

Out of the three names suggested by the BJD Koraput district president, Jali was nominated by the party.

BJD has won at 24 ZP zones out of 29 seats in Koraput district.

Khila alleged the party president took the decision to make Jali, who was a Congress leader earlier, as the ZP chairman candidate on basis of wrong inputs provided to him.

Also read: Block chairman election: BJD candidates win in 218 blocks; BJP in 70

He also claimed party legislator Prafulla Pangi, leaders Jhina Hikaka and Rabi Narayan Nanda had asked him to provide Rs 25 lakh to get chosen as the BJD candidate for the ZP chairman post.

Regarding Khila's charges, Jayaram Pangi said, "The BJD district leadership has been kept in dark on the party's ZP chairman candidate decision. The BJD supremo chose the candidate on basis of inputs provided by the party observers."

Pangi added, "The party observers are responsible for the intra-party fighting in Koraput district."