Bhubaneswar, April 9 -- Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday sent a clear message to party leaders not to criticise V.K. Pandian, who was once seen as his closest aide within the party.
Patnaik's statement came amid criticism from some party leaders, who held Pandian responsible for the last-minute decision asking BJD Rajya Sabha members to vote on the Waqf Amendment Bill according to their conscience.
While senior leaders have urged the BJD president to clarify the party's stand on the Waqf Amendment Bill and take action against those tarnishing the party's secular image, veteran leader Pravat Tripathy went a step further by calling Pandian a liability for the BJD.
Tripathy also remarked that although some may suppo...