Congress veteran Srikant Jena quits all party posts

BHUBANESWAR: Three days after he was removed from his position as the chairman of the election manifesto committee of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC), former Union minister Srikant Jena on Sunday openly challenged the leadership of state Congress president Niranjan Patnaik and resigned from all party posts. Niranjan said Jena may face disciplinary action.
“I have relinquished all the posts given to me in various committees of the party.I have sent my letter to Congress president Rahul Gandhi…The Congress has to take a decision on whether it wants to do politics with the help of the Patnaik family or whether it is with 94 per cent of the people of Odisha. I will travel to the villages of the state and unmask these people [corrupt leaders],” Jena told reporters here.
Jena was a member of the executive committee and the election committee of the Congress’s state unit. Asked whether he will quit the Congress, Jena told TOI, “I will concentrate on the social justice movement. I will tell people how the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes have been neglected during the nearly two decade-long position of power that Naveen Patnaik has held. This will strengthen the Congress.”
While the state has 22.5 per cent STs, the SCs constitute 16 per cent of its population and OBC people form 54 per cent. The minority communities constitute another 2.5 per cent. Together they form more than 92 per cent of the population of the state. Economically weaker sections among other higher castes in the state would be another two per cent.
Niranjan said he was not aware of Jena’s resignation from the party posts. “If he has done anything like that, it is his personal choice. However, anyone creating indiscipline in the party will face disciplinary action,” the OPCC chief said, indicating Jena has invited trouble for himself with his statement.
Jena, a four-time MP and three-time MLA, is perceived to have undermined Niranjan’s leadership ever since he started advocating for a chief ministerial candidate and two deputy chief ministerial candidates from among the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward castes. The demand rules out Niranjan as the Congress’s chief ministerial pick.
On April 23, four days after he was appointed chairman of the Congress poll manifesto committee on April 19, Jena had written letters to All India Congress Committee members, proposing to indicate in the preamble of the party manifesto that, if voted, the Congress will ensure a chief minister and two deputy chief ministers from among SC, ST and OBC communities. Jena himself is an OBC leader. He was removed as chairman of the panel on Thursday.