Two Odisha BJD leaders lock horns over loyalty to Naveen

Reported by Chinmaya Dehury

Bhubaneswar, Aug 11:

The long running spat between two sworn political enemies in the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) – Damodar Rout and Bishnu Das –  flared up again today as the two leaders locked horns on the issue of the misuse of discretionary quota by political leaders and bureaucrats.

While Das accused the Cooperation minister of blackmailing chief minister Naveen Patnaik because his personal interests were not fulfilled, Rout said Das does not match his stature to react.

“There is a conspiracy being hatched against chief minister Naveen Patnaik and the government by some leaders, whose personal interests were not met. One of the leaders tried to get an MLA ticket for his son and make his daughter Mayor. He is a minister in the government enjoying a less important portfolio in the government,” the former MLA of Jagatsinghpur told media persons here.

The former minister said if Damodar Rout had lost his faith in chief minister Naveen Patnaik, he should resign from his post. “The minister should stop embarrassing the government by making statements against it. If Damodar Rout has lost his faith in chief minister Naveen Patnaik, then he should resign from his post. Some are hatching conspiracy to blackmail Naveen Patnaik,” said Das.

However, Rout reminded Das of his role in illegally increasing the marks of his son in the 10th examination that had cost him his job as a minister in the Naveen Patnaik government during the second term in 2007.

“He is talking of embarrassing the government. Did he not increase his son’s mark in 10th examination which cost him his job? What does he have to say on that? Did it not embarrass the government? I don’t want to react over his statement since he is not of my stature,” said Rout.

Meanwhile, senior BJD leader Debasish Nayak said the leaders who have indulged in tarnishing the ‘spotless’ image of the party and its chief Naveen Patnaik should not be spared.