Paradip: Giving another major jolt to Damodar Rout, Paradip constituency’s front-liner, BJD leaders and workers who were till Saturday mum on the increasing gap with Rout since his expulsion, sidelined themselves and made it clear that the party was first and foremost.
Presided by BJD president Sumant Kumar Biswal, a meeting was Saturday evening convened at Biju Patnaik Memorial Trust near Bada Bazaar here in presence of town BJD vice president Kumar Nayak, secretary and municipality chairman Basant Biswal, Shankar Prasad Rout, Ajay Nayak and several workers of woman, student and Youth wings of the party where the decision was taken to meet the Chief Minister (CM) Naveen Patnaik.
The meeting unanimously censured Rout severely for his anti-party statements. They observed there is none above the party. They also made it clear that they would accept whoever may be given charge of Paradip constituency by the party high command.
Besides, it was also decided in the meeting that the future course of action would be decided in line of party high command CM’s direction after meeting him at his residence in Bhubaneswar Sunday.
As a call is yet to be taken as to who will lead the party in Paradip, the grass root level leaders and workers are still in a fix. Meanwhile, BJD district president Bishnu Charan Das has already visited Paradip and held discussion with the leaders and workers during his two-day stay here.
Those who had always been at beck and call of Rout till his expulsion are said to be reluctant to accept Bishnu Charan Das as their leader. And some others are overtly saying that they have no problem whatsoever in accepting Bishnu Charan Das as he being the district BJD president.
If the recent developments are anything to go by, it is quite evident that Damodar Rout is losing is clout among the leaders and workers with each passing day.
The leaders and workers who had attended the meeting called by Rout two days after his expulsion from the party were regarded as his all time followers. But not only their presence in the Saturday evening meeting but also the way they came heavily on Rout for his anti-party statements is a clear indicator that Rout’s political days are already numbered.
PNN