BHUBANESWAR: As the blame game over the Waqf Bill voting decision refuses to die down, several senior BJD leaders on Tuesday met party president Naveen Patnaik and urged him to bring an end to the controversy.
The leaders including former ministers AU Singh Deo, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Sanjay Das Burma, Padmanabha Behera and Pratap Deb, convenor of the coordination committee Debi Mishra, and MLA Kalikesh Singh Deo met the party president at Naveen Niwas to discuss the rising unrest and also organisational matters.
Das Burma told mediapersons that all confusion over the issue will be cleared and the party will play the role of a strong opposition in the state. “We urged our president to take action and bring the controversy to an end in the interest of the party,” he said.
Meanwhile, Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) secretary Nila Madhab Mohanty alleged that party MP Sasmit Patra had acted on instruction of his colleague in RS Manas Mangaraj. “We contacted Patra ahead of the vote seeking clarification on the party’s position. He told us that he acted on the instructions of Manas Mangaraj,” Mohanty said demanding action against both the MPs.
“Both Mangaraj and Patra would face protest from the youth and student wings of the party if disciplinary action is not taken against them,” he further warned.