Congress suffers jolt, Srikant quits OPCC Committees

Bhubaneswar, Dec 10 : Senior leader Srikant Jena on Sunday resigned from the party’s core and campaign committees, three days after being removed as chairman of Congress manifesto committee for assembly election.

On Saturday, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik had taken a swipe at Jena by calling him an expert storyteller.

On Dec 6, the AICC had appointed senior party leader Ganeswar Behera as the chairman of manifesto panel in his place.

He was also called a ‘conspirator’ by party chief whip Taraprasad Bahinipati.

 Jena had reportedly encouraged former Koraput legislator Krushna Chandra Sagaria to rebel against party leadership. Later, he stepped down as the MLA.

However, the PCC chief said he had no information about Jena quitting party posts while chairman discipline committee Hemanand Biswal advised Jena to engage himself in constructive work than indulge in activities that weakens the party.

“Whosoever indulges in indiscipline, action will be taken against him,” Biswal told reporters.