Post News Network
Bhubaneswar: Senior BJD leader Bishnu Das Wednesday criticised party vice-president and cooperation and excise minister Damodar Rout and said he should be expelled from the party to maintain discipline.
“I feel he (Rout) should be immediately be removed as minister and expelled from the party as only then will discipline prevail in the party,” said Das, who is considered to be the arch rival of the cooperation and excise minister within the party.
“The Chief Minister should take strong action against him,” said Das. “Despite being a senior leader he has made it a habit to criticise the government,” he said.
Das even alleged that Rout is working as the state in charge of Congress and advisor of the BJP. Rout is provoking opposition parties to pelt eggs on state ministers, he alleged.
Rout has hit back at Das. “Who is he to comment about me?” Rout asked and said he wonders how Das is still in BJD.
The slanging match between Das and Rout has exposed the acrimony among a few leaders in the ruling party. It has also added fuel to the ongoing war of words that broke out between Rout and Cuttack-Barabati MLA Debasis Samantray over CMC mayor Anita Behera’s exit from her post over the NFSA goof up.
However, BJD spokesperson Sashi Bhusan Behera said, “BJD is always united and if someone’s statement tarnishes BJD’s image, then the president of the party will certainly take action against him.”
