A day after Minister Sanjay Dasburma warned senior Congress leader lalatdendu Bidyadhar (lulu) Mohapatra of “teaching him a lesson”, Mohapatra on Monday again dared him, saying he is prepared to face any challenge.
“I have heard the statement of a Minister that I have lost my mental balance and he will teach me a lesson. Those having mental balance give honest and direct statements and are open to any challenge. The people of Odisha know very well who has lost the mental balance. I am ready to face any challenges,” Mohapatra told reporters here.
Challenging Dasburma to file a defamation case against him, Mohapatra said more information would come to fore if the former files a libel suit against him.
“A defamation suit against me would turn out to be a Pandora’s box for him,” Mohapatra stated, adding that the Government was trying to arrest him.
He also wondered how a man (Dasburma) who was selling books on a luna has become a man of crores.
Maintaining that the Minister should relook at his past before comparing him with others, Mohapatra said Dasburma, who had no knowledge of politics, used to serve tea in the houses of Pyarimohan Mahapatra and Bijay Mohapatra.
Meanwhile, demanding arrest of Dasburma, the Congress on Monday observed a 12-hour Brahmagiri Bandh.
Normal life was paralysed in the town on allegations of receiving an SUV vehicle from tainted Artha Tatwa chit fund owner Pradeep Sethi.
Streets remained deserted and shops and other business establishments were closed at Brahmagiri town due to the dawn-to-dusk bandh. Congress activists staged protests in various parts of the town.
Brahmagiri is the Assembly constituency of Dasburma.
Congress leader lulu Mohapatra, who was defeated by Dasburma in the last two elections, has alleged that Pradeep Sethi gifted a Pajero SUV to Dasburma.