Bhubaneswar: The Waqf Amendment Bill vote that left the two decade old ruling party of Odisha badly bruised and wounded with split right in the middle, and when some leaders who took the extra leeway to target former IAS and Private Secy to the then CM Naveen Patnaik, VK Pandian, responsible for the Waqf mess in BJD, a stern message has been delivered to the party folk by the BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik.
In his first interaction with media after the Waqf divide, the BJD President has delivered a clear message to the party rank and file over not to implicate VK Pandian’s name in the waqf imbroglio.
Naveen Patnaik said, “VK Pandian is not in BJD now. He had left the party some 10 months ago.”
What is seen as stern message in political circles has been that when the former CM told the media, “Mr Pandian has done good work for the State and the party (BJD).”
Moreover, the party supremo has clearly voiced his concern over party leaders meeting in hotels and residences, but not in Sankha Bhawan
Moreover, former senior BJD leader and legislator Pravat Tripathy, who had recently levelled serious allegations against former IAS VK Pandian, has been expelled from the party.
BJD President Naveen Patanik said, “Ex MLA Pravat Tripathy has been indicted in Chit Fund scam. He has been expelled from the party. His statements don’t matter for BJD.”
It needs mentioning that Pravat Tripathy (Ex MLA Banki) has been arrested by CBI in Chit Fund case in 2014. The BJD had then suspended the leader from the party. But reports also suggest that in 2017, the suspension was revoked.
NAVEEN PATNAIK MAKES NO WAQF MENTION
Even as BJD president and former CM Naveen Patnaik has spoken to media on the rebellion of sort in the regional outfit over VK Pandian, he didn’t speak anything about the Waqf Bill imbroglio that has hit the BJD hard.
When some senior BJD leaders have tried to fire salvos at the former IAS VK Pandian under the garb of Waqf warfare, the BJD president Thursday simply quelled the rebellion by public patting of the former IAS officer.
It needs mentioning that some senior BJD leaders like Debashis Samantray have openly blamed the waqf fiasco on Chief Advisor to Party President (means VK Pandian).
BJD REBELION SILENCED
In the aftermath of Waqf fiasco, when section of BJD leaders have launched a revolt of sort against the party leadership with guns trained on VK Pandian, and when the cacophony of BJD has been growing louder on the streets, the party president has put his foot down.
The message down the line is clear. Maintain party decorum. Fall in line or face action.
The former CM's disapproval of party leaders meet in hotels hints big. In 2012, the then BJD mentor Pyari Mohapatra had held a rebel meet at a city hotel to made an alleged coup against Naveen Patnaik. The public disapproval of party president is seen as a warning to leaders plotting to hoist another coup.
WHAT NEXT?
Since its Naveen Patnaik’s charisma that has made the regional party a force to reckon in Odisha politics, and when without Naveen Patnaik, the party may find itself in an island, a section of leaders, who have seized this opportunity to draw their pound of flesh in the party, may face action for crossing the party discipline.
So, all eyes are now on Party RS Floor leader Sasmit Patra’s, whose public support of Waqf Bill has created this furore, return to Odisha.
The Waqf tempest will be laid to rest then, as the Party may come out with a proper explanation over the fiasco.
