The 2nd Joda Mahotsav which concluded on Monday attracted thousands of local people but the absence of the local MLA Meenakshi Mahanta and Keonjhar MP Chandrani Murmu in the fest has been a matter of discussion among locals.
When contacted, Sushanta Kumar Barik who was coordinator of the Mahostav committee said both MP Chandrani and MLA Meenakshi were the president and vice president of the Mahostav committee, respectively.
The programme had been fixed after due consultation with them but keeping in view the busy schedule of the MLA, the original date fixed to be on January 31 was changed at the last moment and deferred to February 7. However, this time also, she couldn't be available due to some important Government work.
Secondly, MP Chandrayani was unavailable as she was at New Delhi to attend the ongoing Parliament Budget Session there. However, Minister of State, MSME, Premananda Naik, GM (OMQ),Tata Steel Atul Bhattnagar and MLA, Anandpur Bhagirathi Sethy had graced the occasion.
Though it was claimed that the programme was 100 per cent successful, but sources revealed that at present Champua BJD was divided between two groups:One group led by , former MLA,Champua and working president of the Mahotsav committee Jitu Patnaik and another by
supporters of Sanatan Mahakud.
Due to rivalry between the two groups, this situation happened, said sources.
