BJD women leaders meet at Sankha Bhawan amid Sujata Karthikeyan row

A crucial meeting of the women leaders of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) was held at the party headquarters, Sankha Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, on Tuesday amid intense discussions within the party over the possible entry of Sujata Karthikeyan in the party.

The meeting was chaired by Biju Mahila Janata Dal president Snehangini Chhuria and was attended by several senior women leaders, including Pramila Mallik, Tukuni Sahu, Barsha Singh Bariha, Lekhashree Samantsinghar, Rajashree Mallick, Ranjita Sahu and Padmini Dian. 

However, senior leaders Latika Pradhan and Elina Das were notably absent. While Latika Pradhan, a senior leader from Ganjam district, was reportedly engaged in another party programme, she did not attend this meeting.

Earlier in the day, former BJD leader Shreemayee Mishra had directly targeted Snehangini Chhuria over Sujata Karthikeyan issue, adding to the political heat within the party.

Also Read: BJD factionalism deepens amid resistance to Sujata Karthikeyan's possible entry

"Our leader, Naveen Patnaik, will decide what is best for the party. He will take appropriate steps to strengthen the organisation and assign responsibilities as he deems fit. It is unnecessary for those who are not associated with the party to express concern over internal matters. Naveen Patnaik is our only leader, and we will abide by every decision taken by him. We remain fully committed to the party at all times. Meetings are being conducted at different intervals strictly as per his directions. Taking important decisions related to the party is solely the prerogative of Naveen Patnaik, and we will not interfere in that process.," said Snehangini Chhuria.

"We conducted the meeting to discuss ways to strengthen the party’s women’s wing by forming different committees. We are not concerned about what Shreemayee has written. Why should we not discuss our own party and its organisation?" asked Pramila Mallik.