Row over 'morphed' photo of Congress MP in swimming pool

A controversial photograph reportedly featuring a young member of parliament (MP) from Odisha with two women in a swimming pool has triggered a political row in the eastern state.

Pradip Majhi, the Congress Lok Sabha member from the tribal-dominated Nowrangpur district, has already registered a complaint in a New Delhi police station against the editor of an Odiya daily which had published the photograph as well as another individual who had allegedly shared the controversial photo on different social media websites.

The first-time MP has claimed that the photograph has been morphed. “The photo is a fake one and has been doctored. It was intentionally circulated to tarnish my public image just when the elections are round the corner,” Majhi has said. He added that for the last few days, there has been an effort to malign him and his reputation.

Navin Das, the editor of the local newspaper which carried the photograph, said his paper did not publish the MP’s photo to tarnish his image.

“The photograph was already in circulation. In our story, we have just mentioned that this photo may land the MP in trouble,” he told the reporters here.

The ruling BJD, has already demanded Majhi’s resignation from the Lok Sabha. “This type of behaviour is not expected from a public representative. Hence, the MP should resign on moral grounds,” state Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi, who also belongs to Nowranpur district, told the media in Bhubaneswar.

The young MP’s party colleagues have defended him strongly. “Even if the photograph is a genuine one, why should there be a controversy over it.

He was not doing anything objectionable, illegal or obscene with the two women. It is an absurd argument to say that he can’t go to a swimming pool because he is an MP,” said a senior leader of the state Congress.

The controversy has come at a time when Majhi was emerging as a powerful young tribal leader in the state. He was the former president of the state youth Congress.

Rumours were afoot about Majhi getting a berth in the union council of ministers during the recent reshuffling of the Manmohan Singh cabinet.His name had also figured a few days back in the list of possible candidates for the post of Odisha PCC chief.