AICC leader in-charge of Odisha B K Hariprasad resigns

BHUBANESWAR: In the wake of dismal show by Congress in recent Panchayat elections,

AICC general secretary

in-charge of Odisha B K Hariprasad stepped down from his post, said

Congress Bhawan

sources in Bhubaneswar on Monday. Sources said Hariprasad also dissociated himself from AICC.

Hariprasad had been facing revolt from several MLAs within the party in Odisha for the past few months. The first sign of dissent surfaced in November last year at a city hotel where he was busy with party's state president

Prasad Harichandan

in meeting. A group of Student Congress leaders stormed into the hotel and booed Hariprasad. The protesters demanded Hariprasad's ouster from party affairs in Odisha.

Hariprasad continued to feel the heat as posters demanding his ouster were pasted on walls outside Congress Bhawan here recently. Several MLAs including the legislature party's chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati squarely blamed Hariprasad for his inept handling of party affairs in the state. Speculation was rife Hariprasad would put in his papers after Congress was routed in rural polls. Talks are doing the rounds Congress state president Prasad Harichandan may quit any time.