ROURKELA: Former Chief Minister Hemananda Biswal is in the line of fire of Congress leaders and workers after the party’s poll debacle in the Sundargarh Lok Sabha constituency.
The disciplinary committee chairman of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) is being accused of sabotaging the party’s electoral prospects to benefit his two daughters, who contested the polls from BJD and Congress.
Recently, Congress candidate from Sundargarh Lok Sabha seat George Tirkey, who lost the election, attributed internal sabotage and infighting as the root causes of Congress’ dismal performance.
In a pointed reference to Biswal, George said one of his daughters contested on a BJD ticket from Sundargarh Lok Sabha seat while the other fought on a Congress ticket from Sundargarh Assembly segment. It was for all to see where his focus lay.
George said he would submit a report on the party’s performance to the OPCC soon and demanded stern action against those working against its interests.
Sources in the Congress said just eight months before the elections, Hemananda, using his influence, had managed to make his daughter Sunita Biswal the working president of Sundargarh District Congress Committee (SDCC) and was seeking MP ticket for her.
Similarly, his younger daughter Amita Biswal was made OPCC women wing’s general secretary.
They said after it became clear that George would be Congress’ candidate from the Parliamentary constituency, Sunita switched sides and got BJD nomination from the seat while Amita coerced her father and became Congress’ candidate for the Assembly segment.
They claimed Hemananda took the help of disgruntled Congress leaders and through his own support base ensured tactical voting for his daughters.
While Hemananda was not available for comments, OPCC general secretary RK Sarangi said the party is collecting feedback from all Assembly segments and after proper analysis, appropriate recommendations would be made through the SDCC for corrective action.