Bhubaneswar: The attempt to cement cracks between party legislature and Pradesh Congress Committee ended in fiasco today after the student leaders of the party barged into a hotel conference hall where party in-charge of Odisha BK Hariprasad, deputy in-charge Subhankar Sarkar were engaged in discussion with PCC chief Prasad Harichandan and legislature party chief Narasingh Mishra.
The student leaders, who are the ardent followers of the firebrand Congress man late Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra (Lulu), vented their ire on the central as well as local leaders alleging AICC's blatant dishonour to the departed soul of Mohapatra.
"We would resort to egg pelting on Hariprasad and deputy in-charge Subhankar Sarkar if they try to visit the State in future", said Kiran Sahoo, vice-president of party's student wing of Odisha.
Sahoo also came down heavily on Hariprasad holding him responsible for the brazen disregard shown to the late leader during last rites. "Hariprasad only collected information from TV seating in star hotel instead of attending the funeral rites. Even a meeting was not convened by AICC to condole the premature demise of a great leader", he rued.
The student wing also alleged that some central leaders used to frustrate Mohapatra that brought his death. "He (Lulu) met his last out of his long standing frustration caused by some central leaders. They are solely responsible for his demise", Chhatra Congress spokesman Ajay Panda said.
If his ideology does not remain alive, no leaders from Delhi would be allowed to enter Odisha, Panda warned.
The top party men attended the meeting in the hotel, however, simply denied the report of exchanging heated argument with students. "We discussed about the strategy for the upcoming panchayat elections with the AICC general secretary", PCC president Prasad Harichandan said.
Similarly, Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra dubbed the meeting as informal conversation. "It was not a meeting at all, but we met in a very informal way,” Mishra said.