BHUBANESWAR: With party leaders getting restive over the inordinate delay in cabinet expansion and political appointments to state corporations, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and state BJP president Manmohan Samal on Tuesday left for Delhi, fuelling speculations that the two top leaders have been summoned to the national capital for a discussion with party’s national leaders on the twin issues.
Sources in the party said a meeting has been convened in Delhi, which will be attended by all the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs from the state along with three Union ministers. During Samal’s visit to Delhi last month, several BJP MPs from the state had expressed their disappointment over not being consulted either by the party or the government on important issues and decisions.
Meanwhile, 11 MPs and two state ministers (Panchayati Raj minister Rabi Narayan Naik and Health minister Mukesh Mahaling) on Tuesday gathered at the house of Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Incidentally, deputy chief minister KV Singh Deo is also in Delhi.
With speculations rife that a few ministers will be dropped for their poor performance, the chief minister’s visit to Delhi and meeting with the party MPs has assumed significance. Party’s general secretary (organisation) Manas Mohanty, currently on a tour to Kantabanji, is likely to attend the meeting.
Sources said, the appointment of party leaders to state corporations and boards has long been finalised but held up due to objections from various groups.
The state government is unable to go ahead with the appointment of government pleaders in district courts for similar reasons.
On a two-day visit to Delhi, Majhi has no official programme to attend. He is scheduled to catch an early flight to Bhubaneswar on Thursday as he is set to inaugurate the National Handloom Day programme at Janata Maidan.