Perhaps time has come for taking retirement from active politics: former OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik

Keonjhar: Veteran Congress leader and former Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik on Sunday hinted at taking retirement from active politics.

While addressing a district organisational meeting at Keonjhar in the presence of several veteran party leaders including his son Navajyoti Patnaik and Odisha in-charge Ajay Kumar Lallu, Patnaik said, “I thank and bless the friends who have come here today. My son (Navajyoti Patnaik) says and I also think that perhaps time has come for me to take retirement from active politics.”

“I had said it earlier in Bhadrak and saying it even today that father and son should not both share the same stage. But today, you made us seat (father-son) together in the stage. So, if son enters, why should father be there? Either father has to leave or son has to leave. Therefore, I think perhaps time has come for taking retirement from active politics,” said the 77-year-old veteran leader.

Shocked over Niranjan Patnaik’s statement, senior party leader Jayadev Jena said, “He (Niranjan Patnaik) is the head of the house (party) and we will not leave him.”

Adding to him, Navajyoti Patnaik said, “My father is our role model. We cannot work like him and Congress in Odisha cannot progress without Niranjan Patnaik.”