BHUBANESWAR: Two groups of party workers clashed at the Congress Bhawan here on Thursday in the presence of senior leaders including OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik exposing the factionalism in the State unit.The clash took place before general council meeting of the party’s OBC cell when a group of workers accused president of the cell Bishnu Charan Barik of siding with the ruling BJD during the by-poll to Tirtol Assembly constituency held on November 3 last year.
The agitated workers alleged that Barik and family members had campaigned for the BJD candidate in the by-poll and demanded that he should immediately expelled from the party.Earlier a Congress stronghold, the party was relegated to the third position in the by-poll, leaving the opposition space to the BJP. The party workers prevented Barik from attending the general body meeting and a stage erected on the Congress Bhawan premises to organise the meeting was also demolished.
However, the clash took place when supporters of Barik retaliated. Barik also dismissed charges against him. “I have indulged in no anti-party activities. I was not given any responsibility in the Tirtol by-poll,” he said.
Meanwhile, the OPCC president warned that strong action will be taken against those who were responsible for the scene at the Congress Bhawan. “Indiscipline in any manner will not be tolerated,” he said and assured that a thorough probe will also be held to find out whether Barik indulged in any anti-party activities.Patnaik also asked the party workers to bring to the notice of AICC and OPCC any complaints they have in the proper forum.