Jeypore, Sept 9: Four-time Congress MLA from Jeypore Tara Prasad Bahinipati, who is known as a firebrand leader of Koraput district, has kept himself away from party programmes for the last few months fueling political speculations.
All seems not to be well within Congress' Koraput unit due to the reported rift between Bahinipati and debutant Koraput MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka.
Recently, the Odisha Pradesh Congress gheroed all blocks in the state. However, the protest was not held in Jeypore block.
Tara and his wife Meenakshi Bahinipati are not attending any party programme in the district though both are office bearers of the party.
Infighting is likely to flare up in Koraput Congress ahead of the upcoming general elections following the ouster of Meenakshi Bahinipati as the district party president, said supporters of Tara.
Notably, Meenakshi was removed as the Koraput district Congress committee (DCC) president, a post which she had held since 2009, in June this year. She was replaced by Durga Sankar Sahu, a senior Congress leader of the district.
Sources said Meenakshi’s ouster has divided the Koraput Congress and members of the party’s district unit have openly opposed untimely removal of Meenakshi.
When asked about his absence in party programmes in the district, Tara said, "I am busy in holding various programmes in my constituency. Besides, the Odisha Pradesh Congress has assigned me to oversee the organisation of Ganjam and Nabarangpur districts. I am busy in all these responsibilities".
I had planned to hold a massive block gherao protest in Jeypore, but it could not be held due to some problems. The Borigumma block was gheraoed by party workers in my constituency, he added.
