Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Paradeep MLA Damodar Rout (File Photos)
BJD leader and Paradeep MLA Damodar Rout was on Wednesday suspended from the party after orders from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, as per a press release.
On Tuesday, hundreds of BJD workers from Jagatsinghpur district met Patnaik at his residence and handed him written complaints against Rout’s anti-party activities. The CM, who is presently in Delhi for a road show promoting the Make in Odisha conclave scheduled for November, had said he will consider the complaints.
Reacting to the reports on his expulsion, Rout said, “BJD has no constitution. I have not received any letter informing me of the expulsion or reasons behind it”.
“Who will expel me? Is Naveen Patnaik in Biju Janata Dal anymore? Who is left from the original Biju Janata Dal or has been a follower of Biju Patnaik?” he fired at the CM. “Now BJD is filled with people on whom CBI’s sword hangs”, Rout said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Rout told the press that the “CM is a good man”, which other party leaders say was in fear of suspension. In BJD’s 18 year rule, Rout, who has handled important portfolios such as agriculture, health and cooperation, also warned that he will now be more candid about the BJD’s wrongdoings over the years.
Rout’s expulsion came a day after he alleged that “the BJD was being run by one bureaucrat and three MLAs”. He referred to the CM’s private secretary IAS V Karthikeyan Pandian and MLAs Debashish Samantray of Cuttack, Arun Sahoo of Nayagarh and Pranab Prakash Das of Jajpur.
Rout, who targeted the state government for overseeing a scam worth Rs 800 crores in farm loans disbursed by the cooperation department, also alleged that Odisha was being run by a satellite-centre of Tamil Nadu, which was seen as a shot at Pandian.
Known for his controversial remarks, the seven-time MLA lost his ministerial berth and post of party vice president last year after he made remarks against Brahmins that created uproar in the community across the state.