Odisha Cong Infighting Spills Into Open With NSUI Accusing Niranjan Of ‘Selling’ The Party

Bhubaneswar: The infighting in Odisha Congress has become bitter with the students’ wing of the party seeking stern action against Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik.

Taking a swipe at Niranjan, convener of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) Itish Pradhan on Thursday said the OPCC president had ‘sold the Congress’ with his brother and BJD MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik acting as the mediator. Besides, he was doing business through his son.

“The anti-party activity of the OPCC president will not be tolerated any more. We will give him sleepless nights and not allow him to enter Odisha after his return from New Delhi,” Pradhan told mediapersons here.

The OPCC chief, however, is yet to respond to these allegations.

Reacting to these allegations, party’s Odisha in-charge Jitendra Singh said, “It is not NSUI’s job to comment on Congress’ functioning. If such a statement has been made at a press meet, action will be taken.”

Notably, former Sambalpur MP Amarnath Pradhan, without naming Nirajan Patnaik, had told the media that some party leaders in Odisha were acting as the villains and were hand-in-glove with the ruling BJD. Besides, AICC secretary Sarat Rout had also sought action against such elements in the party.

Party’s