BJD MP rules out plans to topple Patnaik,admits to differences

[1]

A day after triggering speculation of cracks in ruling BJD in Odisha, party MP Pyari Mohan Mohapatra on Wednesday ruled out any plans to topple Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik but admitted to differences with him as he felt the state government was gradually 'losing control' due to 'arrogance' of bureaucrats.

"I had drawn the attention of the Chief Minister to this trend but little action has been taken. As a result arrogance of bureaucrats is increasing day by day," Mohapatra, who is regarded as chief adviser and strategist of the ruling BJD, told reporters here.

Claiming that he had no aspiration to become Chief Minister, Mohapatra said there was no move at all to topple the government headed by Patnaik.

"There is absolutely no threat to Naveen Patnaik from me. He is completely safe as Chief Minister as he is the leader of the BJD," he said.

"Had I wanted to become Chief Minister I could have tried long ago instead of waiting for so many years. I could have tried in 2009 also," the former bureaucrat-turned-Rajya Sabha MP said.

He said the Chief Minister had called him on Tuesday night from abroad and enquired about several legislators gathering at his house and he explained to Patnaik that there was no formal meeting and that some MLAs had visited his house only to discuss their grievances and party matters.

Referring to the Chief Minister's reported remark deploring Tuesday night's developments, he said Patnaik's comment was a result of 'misleading' information given to him by some party leaders, who also held a meeting at Naveen Niwas as a 'panic reaction' late on Tuesday night.

Patnaik had on Tuesday night deplored the attempts to divide the party.

"I understand that in my absence an MP of my party is stirring trouble against my state government. And also trying to divide the Biju Janata Dal. This is deplorable," Patnaik had told.