New Delhi: With the intra-party feud in Odisha Congress is at its peak over the issue of PCC leadership, the meeting of four party MLAs with Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi here today has kept the state party leaders in a state of suspense.
Reports said the four MLAs—Jacob Pradhan, Krushna Chandra Sagaria, Kailash Kulesika and Bhujabal Majhi—met Rahul Gandhi at his official residence at Tughlaq Road this morning.
Though the subject of discussion during the meeting was not clear, sources close to party circles said that the four MLAs had apprised their leader of the present scenario in the state party organization.
Talking to media persons, AICC leader and Odisha in-charge BK Hariprasad said the four MLAs discussed about the ensuing Panchayat polls in the state with Rahul Gandhi. Apart from this, they also discussed about the atrocities on SC and SC people in Kandhamal and Kalahandi districts by the leaders and activists of the ruling BJD.
Asked about the ongoing war of words between the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) and the PCC president and the differences of opinion between him and the Students Congress activists, Hariprasad said the CLP reports about the minutes of meeting to him at regular intervals. But as far as issue of the Students Congress is concerned, the National Students Union of India (NSUI) will take a final call.
He further made it clear that there is no conflict between the CLP and the PCC president, rather it is a disagreement. “We will sort out the issues very soon,” he pointed out.
Replying to the decision of the CLP that it would not inform the PCC about its future course of action, the AICC leader said he has not received any report till date and will take up the case if any such things are brought to his notice.
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“Rahul Gandhi had called us to discuss about the ensuing Panchayat polls. We discussed about strengthening of party organization, selection of candidates in the Zilla Parishad and Block level, formulation of strategies to win the Panchayat polls and sought his cooperation in this regard,” Pradhan said.
On the ongoing spar between the CLP and the PCC president, he said there is no disagreement. What the Opposition chief whip has told the media is his personal opinion. “We had no discussion about this issue with Rahul Gandhi,” he maintained.