Odisha BJP 'suspends' dharna in Sambalpur police station over farmers' issue

However,they refused to leave the police station until their demandswere met and stayed the night there, sources said.Tension erupted on Friday morning when the policestopped BJP workers from entering the premises of the policestation to meet the leaders.

The BJP on Fridaysaid that it has 'suspended' the dharna over farmers' issue onthe premises of the Sambalpur Town police station following adiscussion with the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC),North Division, Niranjan Sahu.

Leaders of the saffron party launched the dharna onThursday evening demanding procurement of paddy which has beenlying unsold in market yards.

BJP leaders, including state president Samir Mohanty,had been taken into preventive custody after party workersattempted to gherao the office of the RDC in Sambalpur afterholding a rally to protest against the alleged anti-farmerpolicies of the state's BJD government on Thursday.

The leaders were detained at the Town police stationand after the mob dispersed, the police let them off. However,they refused to leave the police station until their demandswere met and stayed the night there, sources said.

Tension erupted on Friday morning when the policestopped BJP workers from entering the premises of the policestation to meet the leaders. The party activists gathered infront of the main gate of the police station and staged adharna.

As the sit-in continued till late in the afternoon,the RDC invited a BJP delegation for a discussion on theissue, sources said. The decision to suspend the agitation wastaken at the meeting.

BJP leader and Sambalpur MLA Jayanarayan Mishra saidthat the RDC assured them that he would take steps to resolvethe issues.

''We have given a 72 hours ultimatum to the government.

If these issues are not resolved and paddy is not procuredfrom market yards by then, we will intensify our agitation,''he said.