BHUBANESWAR: Smarting from the humiliating loss in the Jharsuguda bypoll, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) is likely to take disciplinary action against some senior party leaders for their statements on the manner in which the campaign was conducted. Sources said the state leadership is contemplating to issue showcause against Cuttack-Barabati MLA Mohammed Moquim and former working president Chiranjib Biswal for their utterances against the party at a function here last week.
The Cuttack MLA had raised questions on the campaign for the bypoll stating it would not help the party candidate. Biswal had gone further to allege that the selection of candidate for the bypoll was wrong. Also questioning the campaign committee headed by the OPCC president, the former working president had said that though there are nine MLAs in the party, 20 leaders aspire to be chief minister which has affected the unity in the party. Both Moquim and Biswal were not in the list of star campaigners of the party.
Showcause notices are likely to be issued against the two leaders after the three-member committee headed by Jharsuguda district Congress committee president Ashok Sahu submits report on bypoll debacle to the party, sources said.
The disciplinary committee of the OPCC has also taken strong view of statements given by some other leaders. The committee presided over by former minister Kishore Chandra Patel discussed about the fight between two groups of Congress leaders on May 13 openly in front of the mediapersons at Rourkela district Congress committee office. While former Rourkela district vice-president Umesh Saran has been suspended basing on the recommendation of the committee, showcause has been issued to former president of district minority cell Sheikh Sabir Hussein.