"If senior leaders have anything negative to say, they should come to me with their concerns and not go to media", Patnaik told reporters in response to queries about articles by a senior BJD MP that had triggered a row in party.
BJD MP Bhatruhari Mahtab had come under sharp attack from senior party leaders for his article five days ago where he indicated infighting in the party. Mahtab was slammed again today for a fresh write-up in which he sought to clarify about what he had written earlier.
Soon after the chief minister asked party leaders to approach him with their views, BJD vice-president Surya Narayan Patro said the party president has made it clear that anything negative should be conveyed to him directly.
The very statement of the chief minister shows that he has found Mahtab's article "negative", said Patro, who has asked Mahtab to explain as to how he won Lok Sabha election from Cuttack four-five times if there are cracks in the party.
Before coming out with negative views, Mahtab should tell the party about steps taken by him to ensure a good performance in panchayat polls by BJD in Badamba-Narasinghpur which fall under his Lok Sabha constituency, he said.
Naveen Patnaik had on April 26 maintained that there was no infighting in BJD. "I do not feel any infighting in the party. Where is infighting?" Patnaik had said while replying questions by reporters.