Biswals against JB heading OPCC

BHUBANESWAR, DECEMBER 21: The state unit of the ruling party is divided over the issue of the new president of the Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee OPCC. Though former chief minister J B Patnaik is tipped to take over as the OPCC chief after Chief Minister Hemananda Biswal resigns from the post as per the one-man-one-post norm, a powerful faction in the state Congress is opposed to this.

Sources said the chief minister and Water Resources Minister Basant Kumar Biswal are opposed to JB Patnaik taking over as the next OPCC chief. Both these leaders are arguing for status quo to be maintained. They contend that Patnaik8217;s appointment as the OPCC chief will create a parallel power centre in the state Congress.