Bhubaneswar, Jan 16: Seeking a date for holding president election in Odisha party unit, over 40 BJP leaders including office bearers today rushed to Delhi with an aim to exert pressure on the central leadership, party sources said.
“At least 46 party leaders including district presidents and other office bearers are going to Delhi to inform the central leadership about the situation arising out of not holding elections in Odisha,” BJP state unit general secretary P Harichandan told reporters.
While most of the office bearers left for Delhi to draw attention of the central leadership, state BJP president Jual Oram said “I am sad over the development. They should resolve the issue here instead of rushing to Delhi.”
Oram who completed his tenure as the party president last month, however, clarified that state office bearers taking matters to the central leadership should not be considered as a revolt within BJP.
Resentment in the party over nomination of a leader for President's post came to the fore last week when district presidents gheroed Jual Oram at the state BJP headquarters here demanding immediate announcement of date for the election.
Earlier, BJP central leadership had advised the state leaders to unanimously elect a new leader for the president post as Oram had been the state party president thrice.
The disgruntled BJP leaders pointed out that since 22 of the 37 organisation units have already elected their presidents, they are eligible to elect the state president.
