Rift widens in Odisha Congress; Tara Bahinipati, Srikant Jena engage in verbal duel

Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the crucial 2019 elections, infighting within the Odisha Congress has come to fore after Tara Prasad Bahinipati dropped a bombshell by claiming that senior leaders of the party have hatched a conspiracy to oust leader of opposition, Narasingha Mishra from his post.

Though Bahinipati made no direct attack on Srikant Jena, he however, alleged that a ‘conspiracy' is behind this and whosoever has done the conspiracy is a 'Jena.'

Bahinipati also targeted Krushna Chandra Sagaria, who had recently resigned as Congress MLA over the Kunduli gang rape incident.

“To remove the leader of opposition from his post, he (Sagaria) resigned also with an intention to remove me.But at the same time George Tirkey joined Congress which spoiled the entire conspiracy,” alleged Bahinipati.

Responding to Bahinipati’s allegations, senior Congress leader Srikant Jena stated that he has no information regarding the alleged conspiracy.

"Krushna Sagaria was party MLA and he is still a leader of the party. Is holding a discussion with him a sin?” questioned Jena.

Amid the ongoing verbal duel between Bahinipati and Jena, senior party leader Hemananda Biswal stated that discussions on Krushna Sagaria are unwarranted.

“The manner in which the statements are coming out in media is not justified. The matter will be investigated after all the statements of the leaders come to me through the PCC president for a review,” said Biswal.