Mahanadi Suraksha Yatra: BJD Spokesperson Pooh-Poohs Minister’s Statement

Photograph: Suprakash Mishra

Bhubaneswar: The clarification by the BJD spokesperson on the statement of the party vice-president and minister Surya Narayan Patra on the schedule of the second-phase Mahanadi Suraksha Yatra has been widely discussed in the political circles.

While Patra in a press briefing on Tuesday had informed the media that the yatra would begin from May 7, BJD spokesperson on Wednesday made it clear that no date has been fixed.

“As decided in the meeting, about 500-1000 party workers as well as the leaders and activists of the party’s youth, student and women’s wing will begin a rally on both sides of the Mahanadi river bank from May 7. The rally will halt in the evening. A public meeting will be held there. The following day, they will resume the rally. Party MLAs, workers of the constituency and observer of the district will join in. After passing through 15 riverside districts, the rally will be divided into two groups at Cuttack. While one rally group will head for Paradip, the other will move towards Puri via Bhubaneswar,” Patro had said.

However, contradicting his statement, BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said no date has been fixed for this event. This was a proposal which was discussed at the internal meeting of the party, he pointed out.

“I don’t know what the minister briefed you about the meeting. It is his personal statement and as an official spokesperson of the party, I request you to kindly wait for the  press conference where the detailed schedule of the programme regarding the date and the route would be provided,” Deb told mediapersons here.

Notably, a meeting was held on Tuesday to discuss the schedule for the second-phase Mahanadi Suraksha Yatra. It was attended by MLAs and the district party presidents of 15 riverside districts, including western Odisha. At the meeting, these MLAs were asked to submit the detail route chart.

Later briefing mediapersons, BJD spokesperson Amar Prasad Satpathy had said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will announce the date for commencement of the yatra after May 7.