BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday said any future move, whether floating a new party or contesting election as an Independent candidate, by Damodar Rout after his expulsion from the BJD would have “no impact” on the ruling party.
Patnaik, who returned from New Delhi, told this in response to reporters’ queries about Rout’s claim that he would contest from his Paradip Assembly constituency basing on the “ideals of Biju Patnaik”.
Naveen Patnaik termed Rout’s allegations of corruption in the Government and about the affairs in the BJD as “inconsequential and ridiculous”. Rout as been disgraced from the party justifiably because of his persistent anti-party activities, Patnaik added.
Interestingly, Rout, who had on Wednesday morning seemed to be begging mercy with Patnaik describing him as “a good person” to be spared expulsion from the party, has now turned totally against the Chief Minister stating that “the earlier Naveen Patnaik leaves Odisha the better for the State”. Rout began spitting venom against Patnaik soon after Baijayant Panda, another leader removed from the BJD for anti-party activities, met him at his residence to lend him his “moral support” and told the media that the BJD is no more a party of the leaders who were closely associated with Biju Patnaik.