In a major embarrassment to the Odisha unit of the Congress Party, OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik has questioned the decision of the state’s Youth Congress division to oppose the upcoming visit of BJP President Amit Shah.
“We will not allow the BJP to spread lies in Odisha”, said Odisha Youth Congress president Loknath Maharathy, who led a demonstration in Bhubaneswar and burnt posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah. “We demand resolution of the Mahanadi issue at the earliest. He (Shah) has not kept his promise of providing jobs to two crore youth, bringing back black money to the country and deposit of Rs 15 lakh in every Indian’s account”.
However, Niranjan Patnaik said that he was unaware about who took the decision to oppose Shah. “It is his duty to campaign for his party. Why should we oppose?” BJD also expressed its support for “Shah’s right to visit and inspect his party”.
Shah is expected to visit Odisha on July 1, to review organisational activities of the BJP state unit. Sources also say Shah, who will not hold public meetings during the visit, might give the nod to candidates selected by the unit to contest the general elections from three coastal Odisha constituencies.
The BJP national president may also preside over the entry of former Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda into the party, say sources in the party. Panda, who on Saturday visited the residence of a prominent BJP leader in Cuttack and interacted with BJP workers, has revived speculation about joining the saffron party.