BARGARH:THE growing dissent in the BJD over the latest ministry reshuffle reportedly led to cancellation of the scheduled visit of the Standing Committee of the Assembly to Kendpali village in the district, where a farmer allegedly committed suicide.
The 12-member Standing Committee, led by BJD MLA Pramilla Mallik, was supposed to visit Kendpali on Tuesday. State BJP president Basanta Kumar Panda, who is also a member of the committee, said he had already come to Padampur in the district to visit Kendpali but later, he came to know that Pramilla has cancelled the scheduled visit.
Terming the cancellation as unfortunate, Panda hinted that discontent among some BJD leaders, who did not get berth in the ministry, could be the reason behind the cancellation of the visit. Pramilla, a prominent leader of BJD in the party’s stronghold Jajpur and an aspirant for Cabinet berth, was deprived of Ministry post. Paschim Odisha Krushak Sangathan Samanwaya Samiti (POKSSS) convener Lingaraj said the villagers of Kendpali and neighbouring areas were eagerly waiting for the visit of the Standing Committee. The farmer leader said the cancellation of the visit reflects the insensitiveness of the elected representatives towards issue like farmer suicide.
However, BJD MLA from Bargarh Debesh Acharya, who is also a member of the committee, said the visit of the Standing Committee has not been cancelled but has been postponed. On February 28, Khainu Bagarti (55) of Kendpali allegedly committed suicide by consuming pesticide because of crop loss and loan burden.