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Kendrapara: BJD's anti-Baijayant Panda stance has charged up the political landscape of Kendrapara. Despite protests, Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda today inaugurated an overhead water tank at Marshaghai. However, just couple of hours of the inauguration, some opposing members vandalised the plaque put up during the inauguration. Moreover, it is being alleged a supporter of Baijayant Panda was also thrashed prior to the inauguration event. Taking into account the developments, Baijayant Panda has again raised his finger at the growing hooliganism within the ruling BJD.
Panda today inaugurated the overhead water tank at Purushottampur in Marshaghai block of the district in presence of local supporters. The 1 lakh litre-capacity water tank project is the 15th such project from Baijayant Panda’s MPLAD fund that will cater to the needs of more than 3000 villagers in the area.
However ahead of the inauguration, it is alleged that a supporter of the parliamentarian was thrashed while he was on his way to install plaque. However, despite the disturbances, Panda inaugurated the project and said - Our BJD was not like this earlier and such hooliganism has increased due the influence of one bureaucrat over the past 3-4 years. On the other hand, another water tank project which was scheduled to be inaugurated by the MP in Aul block, was inaugurated by the block chairperson today instead.
"I was on my way to install the plaque at the water tank. Some miscreants stopped me on my way and thrashed me," said Baijayant Panda's supporter, Pradeep Kumar Barik.
"It is not at all right on the part of the people who are opposing a drinking water project. I believe that the public will not like it and remember it. The BJD was not like this earlier. In the past 3-4 years, under the influence of one officer the party has become like this and is indulging in hooliganism," said Baijayant Panda.
"As far as my constituency is concerned, there has been no hooliganism and there is also no chance of such behaviour. There are no second thoughts that when people violate law and order, it is condemnable. The argument that is being given by the MP's office that everything is happening on the direction of a bureaucrat, is also incorrect," said former Aul MLA, Pratap Deb.
Whether it is Mahanga, Salipur or any other place in Kendrapara parliamentary constituency region, some local BJD groups are creating disturbances during inauguration of the projects which have been executed from MPLAD fund. Even, the Marshaghai project which was inaugurated by Baijayant Panda today was forcefully inaugurated by the Marshaghai block chairperson Sitalata Parida on February 7. However, inadvertently the block chairperson has spilled out hints about the person on whose direction such efforts to confront Baijayant Panda are being made and said that the local MLA had directed her to inaugurate the water tank.
"The people were facing problems due to lack of drinking water and hence, I inaugurate the project. The MLA had asked me to inaugurate the water tank," said Sitalata Parida.
However, local MLA Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak declined to comment on the matter.
One pertinent question which needs to be asked here - Are these groups within the BJD not maligning the party's own image? How far it is justified to hinder people-oriented developmental works? Why is party president and CM Naveen Patnaik shying away from taking action against such errant leaders? Whether it is the bureaucrat from the third floor or the local MLA that certain groups in BJD are taking such approach?
"Why should we be worried about a person who is no longer in the party? He (Baijayant) should manage whatever is happening, and we don't want to comment on a person who is no more with the party," said BJD's Kendrapara district observer.
