Balasore Sadar Bypoll: BJD Rules Out Intra-Party Feud; Rabindra Jena Unwilling To Contest

Balasore: Ahead of the bypoll to Balasore Sadar constituency, the ruling BJD on Wednesday ruled out intra-party squabbles in the party.

Refuting rumours about quitting BJD for not being entrusted with the poll responsibility, senior BJD leader and former Balasore MP Rabindra Jena said that he is the district president and will remain with the party.

“I am not keen to contest the bypoll. As I have been appointed as the district party president, I will work with my party members and campaign for the candidate the party supremo nominates,” he added.

Meanwhile, senior BJD leader Pratap Jena had a closed-door meeting with former Balasore Sadar MLA Arun Dey.

Briefing mediapersons after the meeting, Dey said he will not contest the poll. “I have won the elections five times from this constituency on my own strength as an Independent candidate and I will not go to the heaven if I win for the sixth time,” he said.

Dey dodged the question on his choice of party candidate for the bypoll. “But if the party seeks my opinion, I will say the choice is yours,” he added.

Speaking on the management of the bypoll, Jena said that the party high command has not yet given the responsibility to any leader to oversee the bypoll. “The high command will shortly announce the name of the candidate and the leaders who will remain in charge of the poll proceedings,” he pointed out.

If sources are to be believed, former minister and BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra was to be made in-charge of the Balasore constituency along with two other leaders for the bypoll, but the CBI raid put a stop to it.

While the BJD has not announced its candidate, names of former MLA Jiban Pradip Das and Ollywood actor Arindam Ray are doing the rounds.