Former minister Rout expelled for making antiparty remarks: Patnaik

Odisha chief minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president, Naveen Patnaik, on Thursday justified the expulsion of senior leader Damodar Rout from the party, stating that the former state minister was shown the door for his “irresponsible” and “anti-party” statements.

Rout was dismissed from the party on Wednesday, days after he alleged financial irregularities in the distribution of cooperative bank loans, purchase of plastic packaging of milk and distribution of saplings in the state. A former associate of Patnaik’s late father and former Odisha chief minister, Biju Patnaik, Rout had also made a series of statements targeting people perceived to be close to the chief minister, including his private secretary.

“Dama Babu (Damodar Rout) has always been making irresponsible statements and his allegations are fruitless and ridiculous,” Patnaik said upon his return to the state from Delhi where he had attended an investors’ meet.

Patnaik downplayed murmurs of Rout and other former BJD leaders coming together to form a party ahead of next year’s state polls, stating that their potential move would have “no impact on the state”.

After his expulsion, Rout had accused the BJD president of running the party on the “advice of three young BJD leaders and his private secretary”. He continued his attack on Thursday, asking the Odisha chief minister if he could “confidently” claim that he was the president of the BJD. “It’s now Naveen Janata Dal, not BJD. Which follower of Biju Babu (Biju Patnaik) is with him?” he asked.

He also raised question on BJD’s “equidistant stance” from both the Congress and the BJP. “Though the BJD claims that it maintains equal distance from both, Patnaik supports the NDA in the time of need.”

BHUBANESWAR: RAUT HAD CLAIMED IRREGULARITIES IN GOVT PROGRAMMES AND

ALSO TARGETED PEOPLE PERCEIVED TO BE CLOSE TO PARTY PRESIDENT