**Bhubaneswar: ** As the internal wrangling of Odisha Congress is still simmering, the striking-off of names of nine Congress MLAs from the AICC list has added further fuel to the fire and added salt to the injury of the legislators who fumed at the incumbent Pradesh Congress Committee president Prasad Harichandan holding him solely responsible for the embarrassing situation.
Senior MLA and Odisha Congress Chief Whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati lampooned, “Those who are working in the office and house of the PCC chief are the AICC members now whereas, those who are dedicatedly fighting for the Congress, have been struck off the AICC member list. Those who are BJP members in Koraput’s Jeypore and have not yet formally joined Congress have also been made AICC members.”
“Lots of corruption has been committed in this AIIC membership. As we had authorized Rahul Gandhi, that undue advantage has been taken by the PCC chief,“ he alleged.
He threatened, “We, the MLAs, will meet soon, discuss and take the ultimate decision.”
Another senior Congress MLA Prafulla Majhi said, “Needless to discuss often if we were anti-PCC or anti-Congress as you (media) all know it well. But the happenings you are wishing since long will definitely be before you in near future. We all the MLAs will sit together and decide. The outcome will be before you (media) then.”
Young but two-time Congress MLA Jogesh Singh vented, “Certainly it has hurt us. But, we’re still in the Congress party, its MLAs. We aren’t going to take any step that will damage Congress party. We’re no plan of quitting party at present.”
