BHUBANESWAR: The statement of State Congress working president Pradeep Majhi, that there is not much ideological difference between his party and that of BJD, has further intensified speculation that he is joining the regional outfit soon.
Pradeep, in an interview to a local TV channel, also maintained that there is a greater scope of serving people from the BJD as it has a wider base than the Congress and he will consider joining the regional outfit if he gets a chance to do so. Talking to this paper, Pradeep, however, maintained that there is no question of his joining the ruling BJD.
However, leaders from both the BJD and Congress did not rule out such a possibility though. Pradeep’s rival BJD MP Ramesh Chandra Majhi and former BJP MP Balabhadra Majhi, who is now in the regional outfit, are not very happy with speculation over the entry of Pradeep into the BJD.
Sources, however, maintained that Pradeep is an aspirant for a Rajya Sabha seat and talks are on with the BJD leadership over the issue. He will join the BJD only after a deal is through. A senior leader maintained that there are also options before the ruling party to rehabilitate a leader if it wants to. Sources in the Congress said the senior leader wanted an AICC post for himself and is considering options open before him after the party ignored him.