JAGATSINGHPUR:Intra-Party conflict in the ruling BJD over selection of candidates in different colleges of Tirtol Assembly segment for the upcoming students' union elections came to the fore on Thursday with local MLA Rajashree Mallick seeking intervention of State president of Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD) Rana Pratap Patra and general secretary (students affair) Arun Sahu in the matter.
Sources said Mallick and district BJD president and vice-chairman of State Planning Board Bishnu Das are at loggerheads since long and have fielded their respective candidates in Adikabi Saraladas College, Redhua College and Alaka College.
As Tirtol is a reserved segment, Das is eyeing to contest from this seat in the coming Assembly elections, sources added. In a bid to strengthen his base, he is actively involved in political affairs in Tirtol by ignoring Mallick. After winning the Jagatsinghpur Assembly segment five times, Das lost the seat to Chiranjib Biswal of Congress in the last general elections.
Mallick said Das has fielded his own candidates in all the three colleges without her knowledge. "As aspirants for the students' union polls in the three colleges have already been selected, I have sought the intervention of the BCJD president and Sahu in this matter," the MLA said.
On the other hand, Das claimed that he has no role in selection of candidates for college elections.