JAGATSINGHPUR: The statue of former chief minister Biju Patnaik at Redhua Bazaar under Raghunathpur block of the district could not be unveiled for the second time due to bickering within the district BJD.
Installed at a cost of ` three lakh, the statue of Biju Babu was to be unveiled during his birth anniversary on March 5. After the failed attempt, the district unit made all efforts to unveil the statue on Biju Babu’s death anniversary but intra-party conflict in Raghunathpur under Tirtol Assembly constituency prevented the leaders from going ahead with the plan.
The party unit is divided between Tirtol MLA Rajashree Mallick and chairman of Raghunathpur panchayat samiti Rajat Patra. Patra had a led a group of leaders to Naveen Nivas to register their protest against the anti-party activities of Mallick. They had raised allegation of her involvement with Dhala Samanta brothers and Congress leaders.
The rift widened and affected unveiling of the statue on the two occasions.