BJD vs BJD: NO CONFIDENCE MOTION AGAINST VICE-CHAIRPERSON. WHIP BY BJD PRESIDENT NAVEEN PATNAIK 

Rayagada (Badal Tah): On last September 12, Ninteen BJD councilors moved a no-confidence motion against the Rayagada Municipal Council Vice-chairperson Subhra Panda belonging to the same BJD. 

In the mean time, BJD State President Naveen Patnaik has issued a whip to all 19 BJD councilors. The whip notice has been issued to attend the voting to be held on ensuing Thursday and vote against the no-confidence motion. The whip mentions that if any councilor goes against this direction, the party will take action as per Rule 46(b) of the Odisha Municipal Amendment Rules, 2018. According to this rule, BJD District President, who is authorised by State President, can see the ballot papers of the councillors before they are casted. The whip document was handed over to Collector Kulkarni by District BJD President Saraka.

After the announcement of the BJD district President last September, a group belonging to N Bhaskar Rao faction, that has been in the party for a long time, has fallen into disarray. After former minister Jagannath Saraka became the BJD district president, many party members, senior party leaders and former Rajya Sabha member N. Bhaskar Rao, former minister Lal Bihari Himirika, left the party. Subsequently, on September 12, Ninteen BJD councilors of Rayagada Municipality moved a no-confidence motion against the Subhra Panda & informed the district magistrate Ashutosh Kulkarni in writing. Subsequently, as per the district magistrate’s instructions, on September 20, Sub-Collector Ramesh Kumar Jena verified the signatures of the 19 councilors and submitted a report to the district magistrate Kulkarni. 

However, after Thursday’s voting, it will be known whether the no-confidence motion will remain in the BJD’s favor or whether it will go into the hands of the opposition. Most probably it may go against BJD party whip. What action will be taken against those who disobey the whip is to be seen. Till writing of this report, all those councillors have taken refuge in an unknown place, may be at Visakhapatnam of Andhra Pradesh.