CUTTACK: The BJP is plagued by dissidence within its ranks over the selection of candidates for the Assembly segments in both Cuttack and Kendrapara parliamentary constituencies.
On Wednesday night, the growing friction in the saffron party came to fore as rival factions fought a pitched battle at Podamarai in Mahanga of Kendrapara district. The violence exposed the state of affairs within the party at the rally organised by the party’s Mahanga Assembly segment candidate Sumant Ghadei and MP candidate Baijayant Panda.
At least three persons were injured as both the groups confronted each other over a dispute on parking of vehicles. The face-off turned ugly as the group members pelted stones and thrashed each other with sticks. Several vehicles were also vandalised in the fierce fight which was later brought under control by local police.
Though neither Ghadei nor Panda, who reportedly were unhurt as a section of workers guarded them during the incident, could be contacted for comment on the issue, the injured were rescued and rushed to the hospital by police. Bhadreswar IIC Kabuli Barik said two separate FIRs have been filed by both the sides in connection with the incident.
The saffron party fielded Sumant, a new face from Mahanga while rejecting aspirant Sarada Pradhan who had unsuccessfully contested in the last elections and was involved in party’s organisational activities.
Similar dissidence came to fore over the nomination of candidates in Cuttack putting the saffron party’s candidate for the Lok Sabha seat Bhartruhari Mahtab in a spot of bother. A few days back, Mahtab during a rally organised by party’s candidate Sambit Tripathy in the Badamba Assembly segment was left red-faced as dissident party workers shouted slogans “Welcome Mahtab, go back Sambit Tripathy.” In Badamba, BJP fielded Tripathy, a new face while ignoring Bijay Dalabehera who had fought the 2019 Assembly election and has a strong base. Dalabehera had polled 72,545 votes and owing to his efforts, the party created a record by winning seven of the eight zilla parishad seats in Badamba and Narasinghpur blocks.
Similarly, the party denied ticket to Subranshu Mohan Padhi and fielded Tusharkant Chakrabarti, a new face, who finds it hard to get acceptance in Banki Assembly segment. Protesting Chakrabarti’s candidature, dissidents held a meeting at Arachandi in Dampada block and Subarnapur in Banki block urging the party seniors to change the candidate.