**Kendrapada:** Baijayant Panda, BJD MP from Kendrapada had tweeted – “the associates of a colleague who recently resigned on moral grounds threatening me against participation today in the Mahakalpada event with CM.
” He seemed to be referring to the former Health minister and Mahakalpada’s BJD MLA, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, who recently resigned from the post of Health Minister following the SUM Hospital fire mishap.
In another tweet which followed the first one, he said, I am not afraid of goondas. It is the job of police to control them. I will go today and continue my 10+ days/month in constituency.
He tweeted,”Getting messages from police, who would rather want that I didn’t attend Mahakalpara event with CM, but I am going. Let them arrest goons or cancel event if no law and order,’
Nitinjeet Singh, SP, Kendrapada told OMMCOM NEWS that they have provided the Kendrapada MP with security. There are 2 inspectors and a DSP with him and almost a platoon of force with him for his safety.
“I don’t know if somebody has threatened him directly but there is definitely intelligence reports about some political agitation sort of reaction and we had made aware him aware of it. Regarding his personal safety, we are giving him more safety than he is entitled to,” said the SP.
All eyes were set on Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik’s visit to Kendrapada where he was scheduled to address public meetings at Mahakalpara, Rajnagar and Kendrapada accompanied by Kendrapada MP, Baijayant Panda and local MLAs.
Amidst the palpaple tensions brewing as the supporters of the former Health Minister were ready to protest against the local MP over the former’s resignation. These tweets on the social media seemed to spark the tension more.
On the other hand, security had been beefed up in the district ahead of CM’s visit. As many as 24 platoons of police force were deployed. The district collector also held a preparatory meeting ahead of Naveen’s visit.
Ommcom News tried to get the reaction of Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak on the MP’s allegations but he could not be reached over his mobile.
There was a tug-of-war-like situation when BJD MP Jay Panda attended the public meeting in Mahakalpada, the constituency of Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, former Health Minister.
Panda was on a ‘padayatra’ from Alailo village, 5 kms away from the venue of the meeting at Mahakapada when the supporters of Atanu obstructed him. But police intervened and the MP reached the destination. He shared the dais with CM and Atanu, but was allowed to speak only after Atanu’s speech.
When Baijayant stood up to address the public, the supporters of Mahakalpada MLA shouted slogans ,’Baijayant Panda, down,down,’ when the police swiftly frisked them away from the ground. The sloganeering supporters included even women.
Soon after the event, the BJD MP tweeted, ‘Attended Mahakalpada public event with CM. As expected, a handful of planted ppl raised slogans against me vs. thousands in favour of me.”