Infighting among BJD leaders came out in the open in Kendrapada district as the general elections are round the corner.

The supporters of Sanjay Agrawalla, who is the State Executive Body member of ruling BJD and son of MLA of Patkura Sabitri Agrawalla, on Sunday burnt the effigy of district BJD president Utkal Keshari Parida at Kalabuda’s Baruni Chowk, protesting against Parida’s derogatory remarks against former MLA of Patkura and Sanjay’s father late Bed Prakash Agrawalla.

According to the agitators, the district BJD president, a few days back, had allegedly given defamatory remarks in a meeting organised by the Swabhiman Manch at Gualasingh GP in Derabish block. Targeting Patkura MLA’s family and her late husband Bed Prakash, Parida had said, “Madhuali hatare gadu dhari asithile, yebe neta hoi koti koti artha rojagar kari paribar Rajaniti karuchanti (Madhuali came with a pot and but now his family earning crores of rupees by doing politics) and “Gokha ku pokhari huda re basaile, pokhari re kete machha achi kahi deba(a Dalit fisherman can tell you the number of fish inside the pond, if he sits at the embankment of pond).

Hundreds of supporters of Sanjay congregated near Kalabuda’s Baruni chowk and gave slogans against Parida besides burning his effigy. They demanded before BJD supremo and CM Naveen Patnaik to dismiss Parida from district BJD president post.

While giving his reaction to mediapersons, BJD president Parida stated that it was a conspiracy against him by the supporters of Sanjay.