Congress will send observers to Orissa to find Patnaik’s successor

NEW DELHI, FEB 11: The Congress plans to send central observers to Bhubaneswar before the weekend to help sort out the selection of a suc...

NEW DELHI, FEB 11: The Congress plans to send central observers to Bhubaneswar before the weekend to help sort out the selection of a successor to Orissa Chief Minister J B Patnaik who today said he was firm on quitting and restrained his supporters from going to the Capital to plead his cause with the high command.

All India Congress Committee sources said the names of central observers are likely to be finalised by party president Sonia Gandhi, who is expected to consult general secretary Madhavrao Scindia, during her visit to Madhya Pradesh tomorrow.

In Bhubaneshwar, as Patnaik said there was no question of withdrawing his resignation letter, one of his loyalists and State Minister Niranjan Patnaik, said the resignation under the current circumstances was bound to set a bad precedent for the country.

“I am not worried whether Patnaik stays or not… If he had to quit for any other reason, it would have been okay”, the minister, whose name figures in the race for chief ministership, said.

A largenumber of members of the Legislative Assembly and ministers, who had yesterday sent a memorandum to Gandhi urging her to retain Patnaik, were told by the Chief Minister to drop their plans to go to Delhi.

“I am firm on my offer and there is no question of my withdrawing the resignation letter,” Patnaik told newsmen here.

Patnaik said that although he did not consider himself responsible for any of these incidents, he had offered to quit because of the way in which an atmosphere was created against his Government, both in the State and in Delhi.

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Asked who created such an atmosphere, he said it came from all quarters, including the media.

His offer should not be construed as his defeat, the Chief Minister said, adding that it was for the AICC president Sonia Gandhi to take a decision (on his resignation).

PCC chief, Hemananda Biswal, himself a front-runner in the race to succeed Patnaik, called on the Chief Minister this morning before leaving for his constituency Laikera in Jharsugudadistrict.

However, Patnaik said that there was nothing significant in Biswal meeting him, as the issue of his resignation was not discussed.

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Biswal also did not seek his support for the leadership of the Congress Legislature party, he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Basanta Kumar Biswal and Transport Minister K C Lenka, who are known detractors of the Chief Minister, held talks with Pradesh Congress Committee chief Hemananda Biswal. Sources close to the PCC president said they did not discuss any names but would abide by whatever decision the high command took on the Orissa affair.