JAJPUR,06/09(PPT): Following the poll debacle in the 2024 General Elections in Odisha, problems of the Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) seem to be compounding further with several leaders in the grassroots and especially public representatives in the panchayat level reportedly switching their allegiance Said Dharamasala MLA Hiamanshu sekhar Sahoo. He Said Following the development, BJD is now fearful of facing no-confidence motions in many blocks across the State. The party is now making a desperate bid to keep its grassroots leaders united. “The grassroots leaders of the BJD believe that their voices will be heard in BJP and they will be able to provide more service to the people here. Earlier, they didn’t have this much scope in the BJD,” said Himanshu. Even discontentment is brewing among the BJD grassroots leaders in Naveen Patnaik’s own constituency Hinjili. Former BJD MLA Sambit Routray and party leader Bapi Sarkhel are reportedly trying to keep 20 Samiti members, eight Sarpanchs and four Zilla Parishad members united in Paradip and Jagatsinghpur. As per sources, these grassroots leaders are being taken to Puri and after having the darshan of Lord Jagannath, oaths are being extracted from them to keep supporting Kujang block, Chairman Ninarani Sahu. Moreover, party supremo Naveen Patnaik also met the panchayat-level party leaders to urge them to remain united. “We don’t have any fear about no-confidence motion.
Our leaders had gone for Jagannath darshan,” said BJD leader Sambit Routray. “BJP doesn’t have numbers to be successful in the no-confidence motion. There is nothing wrong with taking the blessings of Lord Jagannath. We will do so many good works for the people in the coming days and discussions were held in this regard,” said BJD leader Bapi Sarkhel. On the other hand, BJP leaders are of the opinion that no strategy of the BJD will be fruitful in keeping their grassroots leaders united.
(Report by A.K.Raut)