Congress MLA flays B K Hariprasad

BHUBANESWAR: Intra-party rift in the state Congress refused to die down with Sundargarh MLA Jogesh Kumar Singh flaying the All India Congress Committee general secretary B K Hariprasad and holding him responsible for the crisis ahead of the panchayat polls.
Singh reportedly jeered at Hariprasad by naming him Haria. "Haria is responsible for the conflict among organizational leaders and MLAs.He does not know the art of strengthening organisation as he has never contested elections. The high command had sent him to Odisha to strengthen the base and resolve organisational issues amicably. But he miserably failed," Singh told the mediapersons here on Monday.
Another lawmaker Prafulla Majhi also came down heavily on some senior leaders. Making an indirect attack on Hariprasad and state president Prasad Harichandan, Majhi said some senior leaders are encouraging the intra-party squabble. "Those who are creating fissure among the MLAs should be expelled from the party," Majhi said referring to Saturday's visit of four MLAs to Rahul Gandhi in Delhi to throw in their lot behind Prasad. Last month, all the 16 MLAs met Rahul in Delhi and reportedly expressed their displeasure over the functioning of Prasad.
"Why did not he (Rahul Gandhi) invite all MLAs on Saturday? Why did he call for a meeting with the four MLAs only? If such disagreement continues, it would surely impact the party during panchayat polls," another MLA said requesting anonymity.
On November 10, party MLA and whip Taraprasad Bahinipati dropped a bombshell and squarely blamed Hariprasad for the division in the party.
He is responsible for the factionalism among leaders in the party," Bahinipati had told mediapersons a day after a group student Congress leaders booed and abused Hariprasad for not attending funeral rites of senior leader Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra.