Bhubaneswar: Amid the exit of a number of prominent leaders, Congress appears to be facing an existential crisis ahead of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha. The grand old party seems to have been made a poaching ground by both Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
While Congress finds it tough to halt the ongoing exodus of leaders, speculations are now rife about party veteran Santosh Singh Saluja’s possible switch to BJD. The three-time MLA is currently representing Kantabanji assembly seat in Balangir district. The party has also re-nominated him from the same constituency for the upcoming elections.
At a meeting of Congress workers in Kantabanji, supporters of Saluja stated that they would move along with the three-time legislator wherever he proceeds. “We will accompany him (Saluja) wherever he decides to go. We will continue to be with him,” said a follower of Saluja.
Such statements by his supporters have fuelled fresh speculations about the possibility of some major political move by Saluja.
Though Saluja himself has not yet made any remark on any likelihood of his switching over to another political party, the statements of his supporters have created ripples in the state politics. However, it is still not clear in which direction Saluja is planning to proceed – BJD or BJP.
Earlier, local leader Ayub Khan had claimed that Saluja has made up his mind to join BJD. Under the circumstances, political observers are eagerly waiting for the Congress MLA’s next move.
