Tara Critical Of Hema Gamang’s Return To Congress

Bhubaneswar: The news of former Koraput MP Hema Gamang’s homecoming seems to have stripped up a hornet’s nest.

Talking to the media on Wednesday, Opposition chief whip and sitting Congress MLA of Jeypore Tara Prasad Bahinipati said he is not averse to the return of Hema to the Congress, but she should not aspire for any post in the party.

“The people of Koraput district are upset with Hema since she deserted the Congress in 2014 and joined the BJD. She had contested from Laxmipur Assembly constituency as a BJD candidate but lost to her rival Congress candidate. From this, it is clear that Congress has nothing to lose if anyone leaves or joins the party,” he added.

Hema, who the wife of former Odisha Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang, is yet to respond to this statement of Bahinipati.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik had earlier said that he was happy with Hema’s decision to return to Congress, which is her original abode. But she has to abide by the discipline and rules of the party.

Talking to the media in New Delhi on Tuesday, the former MP had said she meet senior leaders to let them know about her willingness to return to the party fold. “I have interacted with some senior party leaders and I will meet some other leaders, including the party supremo in this connection,” she had informed.