JEYPORE: The battle for the crown is getting murkier. While the CPI (Maoist) owned up the kidnapping of BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka, the reason can be traced to the Zilla Parishad president poll.The BJD had won the election with the support of one independent. In the 29 ZP zones, the BJD and the Congress were tied at 14 each and the sangha-supported independent candidate from Narayanpatna, Zero Mouka tilted the scales. When approached, the sangha reportedly had put up 13 demands before the BJD functionaries which included an end to Operation Green Hunt and release of tribals languishing in different jails. Besides, they had asked for a judicial probe into 2011 Narayanpatna firing, ban on liquor in the tribal areas and land settlement in Narayanpatna, among others. On receiving the demands, Koraput, Laxmipur and Jeypore MLAs R R Padal, Jhina Hikaka and Rabi Narayan Nanda and Koraput MP Jayaram Pangi had written to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to consider the genuine demands of the sangha to pave way for the victory of the BJD candidate. The BJD reportedly also held discussions with interlocutor Dandapani Mohanty who was in Koraput during the ZP president election.With the Government dilly-dallying over the demands agreed upon against the support of the Independent, the sangha kidnapped the Laxmipur MLA, sources said.Significantly, there has been no word from the other BJD MLAs who were a part of the negotiation. The kidnapping of Hikaka has instead created panic among the local BJD leaders who fear a similar fate, sources added.
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