Ray set to return to BJD

BHUBANESWAR: The long wait for former Union minister Dilip Ray to decide his future course of action is likely to be over as the senior leader may join the ruling BJD soon.

Ray, who quit BJP along with former minister Bijay Mohapatra on November 30 last year, met Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik at the Naveen Nivas on Saturday giving clear signal that he will be returning to the regional outfit from which he was eased out in 2001. Sources said decks have been cleared for him to return to the BJD after 17 years.

However, the case of Mohapatra still remains undecided as there is no clear signal from the ruling BJD to take him to the party fold. Political observers believe that there are three options before Mohapatra now. Either he will join BJD along with Ray or go separately and join Congress as the grand old party was interested to take him in.

He may also contest the Lok Sabha elections as an Independent candidate with Congress support.

Though Mohapatra is yet to take a decision on his future course of action, he is touring Kendrapara constituency extensively giving clear hints that he will contest the elections from the constituency.
After resigning from the BJP, the two leaders had announced that they will take a decision on their future course of action jointly. During the last four months, there were speculations over their next step which included returning to the BJD fold or floating a new political outfit.

The Congress, which is making a serious bid to come back to power in Odisha, was also keen on taking both of them in. However, after Ray decided to return to BJD, the next step of Mohapatra is being keenly watched. In their joint resignation letter to national BJP president Amit Shah, Ray and Mohapatra had said, “As self-respecting politicians with decades of service to Odisha, we refuse to continue in the party as showpieces. We can’t be treated as furniture in the party while the rootless talk big and project a larger than life image.”

“For us, the interest of the State is supreme. We have never compromised our self-respect or the interest of the State for any post, power or ticket,” they said.

Targeting Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan without naming him, the two had said, “The well meaning suggestions by us to you were construed as a threat by certain egocentric self serving individuals who resorted to dirty tricks and a campaign was launched in our respective constituencies to try and deride us.” Ray, who was elected as BJP MLA from Rourkela, had also resigned from the seat.