BHUBANESWAR: Amid the public display of factionalism among the BJD corporators of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), president of Bhubaneswar organisational district of the regional outfit Susant Kumar Rout on Thursday asked the corporators not to give any statement without prior permission of the party.
The move came after dissident corporators Amaresh Jena and Biranchi Maharasupakar targeted former minister Ashok Panda and Bhubaneswar Central MLA Ananta Narayan Jena indirectly stating that the duo was trying to split the corporators. “Who allowed the 24 corporators loyal to the former minister to address the press after their meeting at a hotel on Wednesday?” they questioned.
As the situation got out of hand, Rout, who is also the MLA of Bhubaneswar North, issued the order prohibiting the corporators and other office-bearers of the district unit not to issue any statement without prior permission.
Amid the growing discontentment in the party following its defeat in the recently-concluded general elections, senior leaders on Wednesday convened a meeting at the residence of Opposition deputy chief whip Pratap Deb. Some corporators including Jena attended the meeting where they were asked to remain united.
However, Bhubaneswar mayor Sulochana Das asserted that all the 57 BJD corporators are united and working together.