CLP meet to discuss dissidence
An emergency meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) will be convened in the first week of June to discuss the growing dissidence in the State unit.
Former Union minister and Odisha in-charge Jagdish Tytler and president of the OPCC Niranjan Patnaik will be present at the meeting.
Sources said the meeting had been convened to allow the MLAs discuss organisational matters and air their grievances, if any, against the State leadership. But they will be asked to maintain discipline.
Several MLAs, led by former working president of the OPCC Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra, had met Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad during his visit to the State in the first week of this month and demanded a change in the State leadership.
Even three MLAs __ Surendra Singhbhoi, Dushmanta Nayak and Shyam Charan Hansdah __ were served showcause notice by the OPCC for anti-party activities. Sources maintained that the State leadership does not want to take any drastic step against the MLAs as it may precipitate the matter further. Rather, the State leadership wants to proceed with the exercise to strengthen the organisation.
Sources said both the sides have called a truce for the time being before deciding on their next course of action. The dissidents are waiting for the outcome of CLP meeting.
The zonal meetings of the OPCC are scheduled for June 6 to 9 at four places. Zonal meetings have already been held in Cuttack and Berhampur. The next meetings will be held in Bhubaneswar, Balasore, Rourkela and Sambalpur.
The zonal meetings are being held as a part of the party’s preparation for the urban body polls scheduled next year. The result of the urban poll will be a preview of the 2014 Assembly election and taken seriously by the Congress leadership. Congress had lost election to the Kendrapara municipality, bypolls to Umerkote and Athgarh Assembly seats and panchayat polls.
IIM Sambalpur
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