Bhubaneswar: The agitation of Anganwadi workers took a new twist today with one group of the women activists declaring to have called off their stir while another group continuing to sit on dharna at the Lower PMG here.
It is alleged that while one group linked with the ruling BJD's trade union Biju Shramik Samukhya ended their strike after a meeting with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the other group continued to stage protest at the Lower PMG.
“The state government is trying to create a rift within the Anganwadi Workers' Association by giving money to some of our activists. A few middlemen of the ruling BJD are involved in dividing the association,” said an agitating activist.
Earlier in the day, a group of activists headed by BJD leader Subash Singh met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the Secretariat here following which the activists called off their stir. It may be mentioned here that the Anganwadi workers have been sitting on a dharna at the Lower PMG for the last 36 days pressing for fulfillment their various demands, including salary hike.