Sambalpur: Senior BJP leader and Odisha MLA Jayanarayan Mishra created a fresh row on Sunday by refusing to occupy his designated seat at an important meeting held by the party ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to the state.
Mishra, a former Minister, decided to remain seated at the back of the meeting venue despite repeated requests by party leaders to move to the stage.
The important meeting, chaired by BJP’s Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal, was held to review party arrangements ahead of Shah’s visit to the state.
Mishra chose to sit among others in the rows at the backside. Despite being invited by party leaders and MLAs to take his designated seat on the stage, he remained in his chosen seat till the end of the meeting.
When asked by reporters about his decision, Mishra said, “I am not qualified to sit there.” He said seats on the stage were meant for high-ranking leaders and he lacked the required qualifications.
To a query whether he felt sidelined and neglected by his party, he said, “Why would anyone in my party neglect me?”
He said such questions should be put to the leaders and not to him as he is a ‘small person.’
Mishra said there was nothing wrong if he occupied a seat at the backside as other MLAs including Tankadhar Tripathy and Irasis Acharya, were also sitting near him.
“Seats on the stage were meant for BJP state president, general secretaries, and ministers alone. I am none of them. What was the need of me sitting on the dais?” the senior leader said.
Meanwhile, Manmohan Samal did not make any comment on Mishra’s remarks. The state BJP chief spoke about the ongoing preparations for the upcoming visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
