Son Pritiranjan eulogises Patnaik’s leadership
A day after he was expelled from the BJD for anti-party activities, former Finance minister Prafulla Chandra Ghadai on Sunday hoped that party supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik would act equally tough against party leaders involved in scams and corruptions.
“The BJD president has every right to expel me. However, people also expect that action should also be taken against the leaders involved in the scams,” Ghadai told reporters here.
Ghadai significantly remarked that what he stated in his newspaper interview was not against the party. It may be noted that Ghadai had made caustic comments against party leader Naveen Patnaik saying the latter has become “physically and mentally dull” and is dependent on “a coterie”.
Even though he did not name anyone involved in scams, there was little doubt that his comment was mainly directed at his arch intraparty rival Rajya Sabha member Kalpataru Das, whose family has been entangled in land and chit fund scams causing embarrassment to the party and the Government.
Several BJD leaders are reportedly under the scanner while some have already been interrogated by the CBI in connection with the chit fund scam. However, the Chief Minister has chosen to remain silent over the issue.
Ghadai also questioned the way he was expelled from the party without being given an opportunity to make his stand clear. “The president should have issued a show-cause notice and could have suspended me, but he abruptly expelled me,” said a further disgruntled Ghadai. He said he would continue to spend his time in serving people.
At the same time, he said he would continue to support the BJD. Justifying Naveen Patnaik’s decision, party spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb said Ghadai had left no option for the party but to expel him. “Ghadai must admit that the president has every right to take action against activities of indiscipline. It is not the first time action has been taken against anyone,” said Deb.
Meanwhile, in an apparent move embarrassing Ghadai, his son Pritiranjan Ghadai, a two-time MlA, eulogised Naveen Patnaik’s leadership in the media on Sunday. He stated that he would continue to work loyally under Patnaik’s leadership.