BARGARH : The announcement of disgruntled Bargarh president of BJP Narayan Sahu to join BJD after meeting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at Bhubaneswar on Tuesday has created a flutter in the district.
Narayan was feeling suffocated in the party after beleaguered BJD leader Ashok Panigrahy joined BJP. He had revolted against the inclusion of Panigrahy into the party but BJP top bosses had managed to bring truce. However, after his meeting with Naveen, it seems Narayan could not rely on the assurance of rehabilitation given to him by senior BJP leaders.
Sources said the BJP is playing its cards carefully and is yet to officially declare the name of its candidate for Bijepur by-poll. Narayan was sure that BJP will choose Panigrahy as its candidate. Moreover, the BJP had been gradually sidelining him from the party affairs of the district. This irked Narayan who had put in about 20 years for the party.
While different reasons are being attributed to Narayan joining BJD, it is said that leniency of the State Government to a murder charge against his son Sanjay Sahu is the prime reason for the Bargarh leader taking the decision. Sanjay is accused of murder during the last panchayat elections. On February 19, he had attacked one Loknath Sahu leaving him seriously injured. Loknath succumbed to his injuries on February 21 while undergoing treatment at VIMSAR in Burla. Later, police booked a case under Sections 147, 148, 341, 307, 506, 149 against Sanjay who is currently behind bars.
However, since the case is sub judice, the State Government is unlikely to play any role to bail out Sanjay. In light of this fact, it is believed that the cause which led Narayan to favour the BJD could be something else. On the other hand, political analysts believe that the joining of Narayan in the ruling party will not be of much help to BJD. After reiterating his allegiance to the BJP time and again, his sudden decision to join BJD has led people to treat him as an opportunist who is out to grab benefits, the analysts observed.