Congress fails to net benefit from BJD crisis

By Our Correspondent / www.indusvalleytimes.com Bhubaneswar, June 8: The Congress leaders in Odisha, who were desperately waiting since 2000 for instability to happen in the ruling BJD for a political resurrection, have failed to reap much dividend from the ongoing crisis in regional party. A group of BJD leaders led by party’s Rajya Sabha member Pyarimohan Mohapatra had reportedly sought the help of the powerful faction of the state Congress led by Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra to split the ruling party and form a coalition government. However, another group which does not want Lalatendu call the shots in the party foiled the attempt by convincing the central leaders that it would be a suicidal move. In fact, a few legislators of the Congress were in touch with BJD rebel leader Pyarimohan and assured him support in the even he split the party and formed government. However, they changed their mind when the Congress central leaders did not give them the go-ahead signal. The withdrawal of Congress’ support frustrated the BJD rebel camp’s “coup” bid. With this, the Congress lost a chance to come close to share in the power in Odisha. Although the All India Congress Committee general secretary Jagdish Tytler clarified that his party never wanted to meddle in the BJD affairs, sources said the party refrained from supporting the BJD rebel camp fearing that it might impact its results in 2014 Assembly polls. Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, who was in Odisha on Thursday, said his party should have taken mileage of the BJD trouble in the Odisha. “At this period when the BJD leaders are fighting for power, the Congress should exploit the situation to come back to power and consign the Naveen Patnaik government to history,” Mr Aiyar added. odisha/odisha/Odisha/Odisha