Bhubaneswar, Apr 10: Even though he returned to New Delhi from a foreign country, Sasmit Patra, the BJD Legislature Party Leader in Rajya Sabha who flip-flopped BJD's stand on the Wakf (Amendment) Bill in the last moment, putting the party in turmoil, didn't utter a single word on his contentious 'act as per conscience' statement.

When approached by the Argus News, Patra said the party advised not to make any statement to the media in the current situation.

Patra first told the media that the BJD MPs would oppose the Wakf (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha. His statement was published in the newspapers. But just before a discussion on the bill began in the upper house, he wrote in his X handle that Rajya Sabha members of the BJD would exercise their conscience in case of a vote in the absence of a party whip.

As a result, four of the seven BJD MPs, including Patra, voted in favor of the Walf (Amendment) Bill, two abstained from voting, and one voted against.

Following this, leaders started protesting BJD's support of the Bill. Leaders expressed resentment in the media. Even senior leaders held meetings in hotels in groups.

Party workers led by Munna Khan went to Naveen Nivas and urged the party supremo to take stringent action against Patra and any other person behind the scene. A protesting voice started brewing against the party's former leader and Naveen Patnaik's advisor, VK Pandian. Even protesters, who visited Naveen Nivas in groups, shouted 'Go Back Pandian' slogan in the compound of the former Chief Minister's residence.

In response to the growing resentment among party leaders, Patnaik said Pandian should not be blamed as he quit the party 10 months back. He went on to say that Pandian had done good work for the State and the party as well.

Regarding meetings held by party leaders in groups, he said it is better to hold meetings in Sankha Bhavan. Patnaik said former Banki MLA Pravat Tripathy, who raised a voice against BJD's support to the Waqf Bill in Rajya Sabha and openly blamed Pandian, was not in the BJD for long.

Following this, Pravat refuted Patnaik's views, saying, "I was in the BJD till yesterday," Tripathy told the media. After Patnaik's media statement, Tripathy's supporters started posting joint photos of Patnaik and the former MLA in the 2019 election meetings. He was suspended but the suspension was withdrawn before 2019 elections, they noted in social media platforms.

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