Bhubaneswar, Jan. 12: Senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra today said he would not be the party's star campaigner in the panchayat polls canvassing across the state. Instead, he would concentrate on his home district, Kendrapara.

Mohapatra is upset as the party, in its initial list of 40 star campaigners submitted to the state election commission, had omitted him as well as Rourkla MLA Dillip Ray. The list was later amended with the omission attributed to a clerical error. This, however, has failed to satisfy Mohapatra and his supporters.

Making a sarcastic reference to the episode, Mohapatra said: "I would like to thank the 'director' of the move. I was happy when the leadership omitted my name and now I am delighted they have included my name in the list. But I cannot move around the state."

He said all is not well within the party and added: "I have not been consulted even once about the party's strategy for the panchayat polls. Some people are treating the party as their personal property."

Though he did not name any names, he lashed out at the party leadership. "The person who steered the party election in 2009 and 2014 when it fared badly is now leading the party for all practical purposes. He remote controls the party. It's apparent what is going to happen to the party in the coming days."

A BJP leader said Mohapatra was hinting at Union minister of state for petroleum Dharmendra Pradhan, who has emerged as the most powerful leader in the state BJP. "The relationship between Mohapatra and Pradhan soured over the Mahanadi issue last year. Mohapatra had alleged that many of the state BJP leaders appeared to be advocating the cause of Chhattisgarh government with which Odisha is locked in a dispute," the leader said.

A senior BJP leader said: "The party bosses also do not like Dillip Ray's proximity to Mohapatra."

Sources revealed that Ray was upset after the CBI dragged him into the 1999 coal scam issue. "Ray believes that his name was included in the CBI list because some senior state BJP leaders wanted it," said a senior BJP leader.

BJP heavyweight Ramachandra Panda today joined the BJD.

"During the past year, I have been feeling suffocated in the party. There is no respect for senior leaders," said Panda.