BHUBANESWAR: Dissent has surfaced inside BJD over its resolution to nominate media baron Soumya Ranjan Patnaik and educationist Achyuta Samanta to the Rajya Sabha. The discontent has triggered the celebration spokespersons and other senior leaders to protect chief minister Naveen Patnaik's alternatives.
BJD chief and former chairperson of the state ladies's fee, Jyoti Panigrahi, who was once also an aspirant for an Upper House berth, overtly expressed her resentment at being 'overlooked'.
"Injustice has been done by not nominating a single woman to the Rajya Sabha. There are two crore women in the state. Don't they have the eligibility to represent the state in the Rajya Sabha? I was informed that my name was on the short-list but, today. I am a disappointed woman," she said.
She also expressed displeasure over leaders from western Odisha being 'not noted' for the Rajya Sabha. "All three members of the Upper House from the state - Dilip Tirkey, A U Singhdeo and A V Swamy - whose tenures will end in April, hail from that part of the state. So at least one leader from the region should have been nominated," she added.
Munna Khan, some other Rajya Sabha aspirant, said BJD would have finished higher to nominate him to the Upper House as it would have happy contributors of the minority neighborhood to which he belongs. "Since chief minister Naveen Patnaik has already taken his decision, it would not be proper to comment further," he added.
Defending the executive minister's resolution, textiles and handloom minister Snehangini Chhuria said, "Naveen babu must have considered all aspects before making his choices."
BJD chief and former chairperson of the state ladies's fee, Jyoti Panigrahi, who was once also an aspirant for an Upper House berth, overtly expressed her resentment at being 'overlooked'.
"Injustice has been done by not nominating a single woman to the Rajya Sabha. There are two crore women in the state. Don't they have the eligibility to represent the state in the Rajya Sabha? I was informed that my name was on the short-list but, today. I am a disappointed woman," she said.
She also expressed displeasure over leaders from western Odisha being 'not noted' for the Rajya Sabha. "All three members of the Upper House from the state - Dilip Tirkey, A U Singhdeo and A V Swamy - whose tenures will end in April, hail from that part of the state. So at least one leader from the region should have been nominated," she added.
Munna Khan, some other Rajya Sabha aspirant, said BJD would have finished higher to nominate him to the Upper House as it would have happy contributors of the minority neighborhood to which he belongs. "Since chief minister Naveen Patnaik has already taken his decision, it would not be proper to comment further," he added.
Defending the executive minister's resolution, textiles and handloom minister Snehangini Chhuria said, "Naveen babu must have considered all aspects before making his choices."
RS polls: Rumblings of discontent heard
![RS polls: Rumblings of discontent heard]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
March 10, 2018
Rating:
