Naveen Patnaik Meets Former MP, Ex-MLA To Address Resentment In Party

To address growing resentment within the ruling party, Odisha chief minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Monday met a former MP and an ex-MLA at the Secretariat.

Patnaik met former Rajya Sabha MP Baishnab Charan Parida and former Dhenkanal MLA Navin Nanda and held discussions with them separately over the party affairs.

Both Parida and Nanda had blamed an officer at the chief minister's office for all the wrongs in the ruling party.

"I met the chief minister and discussed on the party affairs. I have told the CM that all is not well in the ruling party," Nanda told reporters after meeting the chief minister at the Secretariat.

Parida, who blamed a CMO officer for non establishment of an Odia Language Commission, said he has thanked Patnaik for steps taken to promote Odia language in the state.

Parida, however, said: "The government's decision to promote Odia language cannot be implemented unless a commission is set up."

Both Parida and Nanda, sidelined in the ruling party since long, had joined the party's Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda, who pointed fingers at the officer in the CMO.

Panda was seconded by BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

After Panda, ex-MLA Rama Ranjan Baliarsingh, who quit BJD last week, and Baishnab Charan Parida, had expressed displeasure over the manner in which the party was being run.

(PTI)