JAGATSINGHPUR: Even as BJD chief Naveen Patnaik has gone for revamp of party organisation by appointing district presidents and observers, bitter factionalism and intra-party conflict continues to bog down Jagatsinghpur district. It is virtually a turf war for control of the district organisation as the rivalry between Tirtol MLA Bishnu Das and MP Rajshree Mallick has divided the party into two camps. While Das has not been keeping well and, thus, not able to focus on organisational matters, Mallick’s supporters have infiltrated her rival’s stronghold. Mallick’s alleged interference in nomination of block presidents from Das’ constituency has created fresh friction in the organisation.
Party sources said Mallick has nominated Gangadhar Biswal, husband of Zilla Parishad president Priyadarshini Biswal, for Tirtol block, Debasish Tripathy for Raghunathpur and Rabindra Rout for Biridi while Das has nominated Basant Mohapatra for Tirtol, Sarojkant Swain for Raghunathpur and Netrananda Sahoo for Biridi. Tirtol block president Basant Mohapatra said Das has already sent the names of candidates from the constituency to party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik along with BJD observer for the district Debasish Samantray and party State returning officer. Mallick’s interference in the matter will worsen the situation and lead to confrontation, he warned.
However, district returning officer Goutam Palit said in view of Das’ health condition, the task of nominating leaders for block unit presidents was given to Mallick. He said no names were received from Das for the posts. The intra-party wrangling has also come to the fore in Kujang where two groups are at loggerheads over nomination of block unit president.
The nomination of Sanjay Swain, a supporter of Debasish Samantaray, for president of Kujang block has not gone down well with local MLA Sambit Routray, who has thrown his weight behind youth leader and sarpanch Bharat Bhusan Nayak for the post. In Jagatsinghpur Assembly constituency, local MLA Prasant Muduli has nominated Manoj Bhoi as Jagatsinghpur block president, Sujit Mallick as president of Naugaon block and Priyabrat Mohapatra as the Nagar president. In Balikuda -Erasama Assembly constituency, Water Resources Minister Raghunandan Das has nominated Ratanakar Nayak as Balikuda block president and Pitabas Gochayat as block president of Erasama while Paradip MLA Routray has nominated Basant Kumar Biswal as Nagar president of Paradip.
Rift out in open
The rivalry between Tirtol MLA Bishnu Das and MP Rajshree Mallick has divided the party into two camps The intra-party wrangling has also come to the fore in Kujang Nomination of Sanjay Swain, a supporter of Debasish Samantaray, for president of Kujang block has not gone down well with local MLA Sambit Routray