‘BJD has stopped functioning in a democratic manner’
ON THE OFFENSIVE:Odisha Janamorcha leader Pyarimohan Mahapatra addressing the media in Bhubaneswar on Friday. —PHOTO: LINGARAJ PANDA
Suspended Biju Janata Dal leader and Rajya Sabha member Pyarimohan Mohapatra on Friday threw an open challenge to the party leadership by saying that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had lost his position as president of the party since July 2010.
Addressing the first press conference under the banner of the newly-formed Odisha Janamorcha here, Mr. Mohapatra accused Mr. Patnaik of violating the party's Constitution.
The party had stopped functioning in a democratic manner since July 10, 2010 as its State executive committee, which was to meet every six months, had not held its meeting after January 10, 2010, when the party's amended Constitution was adopted in the party's State Council meeting, Mr. Mohapatra observed. A new president of the party could be elected when the State executive committee holds its meeting, Mr. Mohapatra added.
Asked whether he would talk to Mr. Patnaik about the democratic functioning of the party, the Janamorcha leader said he would talk if Mr. Patnaik wanted to talk to him.
The rebel leader also blamed Mr. Patnaik for encouraging the bureaucrats to run the government instead of allowing the Ministers to function in a democratic way.
Mr. Mohapatra claimed that he had earlier complained before Mr. Patnaik about the bureaucratic supremacy which was affecting the governance in the State.
While talking about the aims and objectives of the Janamorcha, Mr. Mohapatra claimed that he and other leaders working for the Janamorcha were all BJD workers. The Janamorcha was not a political party or a mass organisation, but a movement within the BJD to fight for inner-party democracy. The Janamorcha would strive to work for development of self-sufficient villages by following the ideals of the State's great leaders such as Madhusudan Das, Gopabandhu Das, and Biju Patnaik, Mr. Mohapatra added.
Rallies planned
The Janamorcha announced to organise its first State-level rally called Kranti Samavesh in Bhubaneswar on October 28. The rally in Bhubaneswar will be followed by rallies in different regions.
Naveen Patnaik encouraging bureaucrats to run the government, says Pyarimohan
Janamorcha to strive for self-sufficient villages
