The verbal duel between the two BJD heavyweights of Jagatsinghpur district, Minister Damodar Rout and BJD district president and Rajya Sabha member Bishnu Charan Das, continued unabated on Thursday.
After Rout’s outburst over the suspension of the Jagatsinghpur district BJD vice-president Ashwini Das alias Kuna Silat, Bishnu Das in his reaction wondered that he didn’t know why party supremo Naveen Patnaik suspended Ashwini Das from the party.
“Those who have criminal antecedents and Congress links are close to Bishnu Das. Ashwini has criminal records and is also close to Bishnu Das,” said Minister Rout.
On the other hand, Bishnu Das said no cases lodged against Ashwini have been proved. Hence, he is not a criminal, said he.
“Party supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik did not consult with me before suspending Ashwini,” said Das.
When asked about Rout’s comment that Bishu Das does not know when he became the district president, Das said, “Damababu does not attend or involve him in party functions and activities in the district. He doesn’t seem to be part of the BJD. So, how can he know when I became the district presidentIJ” Das said he would soon meet the Chief Minister to apprise about the developments involving the party’s situation in Jagatsinghpur and Damodar Rout.
Notably, on Wednesday Patnaik suspended Ashwini Das from the party.