Jatra troupe owner’s bid to join Cong hits a wall | Bhubaneswar News

Bhubaneswar: The political aspirations of a controversial jatra troupe owner received an unexpected jolt when his attempt to join the Congress was stonewalled on Wednesday.Ananta Narayan Dhal, wearing garlands and accompanied by over 1,000 supporters, arrived at the Congress office at Master Canteen around 11 am, only to find the gates locked. Dhal, known as Nanda Babu, had anticipated a warm welcome, claiming that Congress state president Bhakta Charan Das had approved his induction.However, Das, who was not present at Congress Bhawan, refuted these claims, leading to a public embarrassment for Dhal and his supporters. The situation escalated when a faction within the Congress, opposed to Dhal’s entry, locked the main gate.“I had a conversation with Bhakta Das, who invited me to the Congress Bhawan for an induction ceremony. Instead, we were met with humiliation and denied entry,” Dhal told the media. Despite attempts to reach out to Bhakta Das and other senior leaders, Dhal claimed he received no response, adding to his misery.As Dhal’s supporters went berserk and attempted to barge into Congress Bhawan, police rushed to the spot and placated them. As tension rose, police were deployed to maintain order and prevent any potential law and order situation.Dhal said he would take the matter to the national level. “Congress Bhawan is not Bhakta Das’ personal property. I will take this issue to Delhi and meet Rahul Gandhi,” warned Dhal who had recently courted a series of controversies regarding his alleged misconduct towards some women jatra artists.Bhakta Das, on the other hand, criticised Dhal’s conduct and questioned his suitability for the party. “Individuals with questionable characters and criminal conduct are not welcome in the Congress. Membership is a privilege that must be sought respectfully, not demanded forcefully,” the Congress state president asserted.