BHUBANESWAR: The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) has suspended state convenor Itish Pradhan from the primary membership of the organisation on Sunday over his outburst against OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik.
“NSUI has suspended Odisha state convenor Itish Pradhan from the primary membership of NSUI with immediate effect for breaching organisational discipline till further order,” said Motha Rohit, in-charge of Odisha, in a release.
Reacting to the disciplinary action against him, Pradhan, however, said he has been suspended without any show-cause notice. “The OPCC president has conspired to remove me from NSUI,” he said.
Pradhan had alleged at a media conference on Thursday that Patnaik had sold Congress to the ruling BJD and promoted dynastic politics by giving ticket to his son to contest from the Balasore Lok Sabha seat in the 2019 elections.
It demoralised the Congress rank and file during the elections. He had threatened that Patnaik would not be allowed to enter Odisha. Pradhan’s outburst against Patnaik had come after the latter returned from a foreign visit to New Delhi.
Patnaik had, however, dismissed the Pradhan’s outburst against him as childish and outpouring of a frustrated loser. “He had contested the Assembly elections and lost it badly. He is now trying to blame me for the result,” he said.