Suspended BJD leader Pyarimohan Mohapatra on Sunday said he would decide his next course of action after consultation with his “well-wishers.”
Speaking to a select group of reporters at his residence, Mr Pyarimohan Mohapatra who acted as the chief minister’s advisor for nearly eight years, said he felt heartbroken by the chief minister’s remark on Saturday that he was “beimaan” (betrayer).
“After serving him so many years, he has branded me a beimaan. This has hurt me greatly. I understand the state government is going to harass me by framing false charges against me. They are also planning to send me jail. I’m quite clean and welcome all sorts of investigation,” Mr Mohapatra, who is also a Rajya Sabha member, said.
Known as Chanakya in BJD politics, the BJD stalwart said he would call a press conference and given his comments on chief minister’s “beimaan” remark.
Mr Mohapatra’s suspension from the BJD on Friday has created political storm in Orissa. It is apprehended that the BJD strongman, who had played a crucial role in bringing the party to power to powers in 2004 and 2009 Assembly elections and reduced the opposition forces to negligible entities, might split the party or go for floating a a new outfit.
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Lokpal will create fear among wrongdoers: Bedi
New Delhi, June 3: Team Anna member Kiran Bedi on Sunday said the Lokpal if made a law will create fear among wrongdoers like the way the “chopping of hands of thieves” does in the UAE.
Addressing protesters at the fast venue of Anna Hazare and yoga guru Ramdev, Ms Bedi also asked people not to vote for those politicians who are opposed to Lokpal in the next elections.
“There is no democracy in UAE. The hands of thieves are chopped off there. There is a fear of the law. If CBI is under the control of Lokpal, wrongdoers will have the same fear,” said Ms Bedi who is also on fast along with other Team Anna members Arvind Kejriwala and Manish Sisodia.
She said people should take this fight from the panchayat level to the Lok Sabha level. Reiterating the demand for an SIT probe against the Prime Minister and 14 Cabinet ministers, she said, the CBI should be independent of the government.
“If the probe says that the Prime Minister and ministers are clean, well and good. But if there are some who have done wrong, they should be punished,” she said.
She also alleged that efforts were being made to create differences between Hazare and Ramdev but said this will not succeed.
In Bengaluru, Justice Santosh Hegde said the movement will go far ahead from now on as Hazare and Ramdev have come together. — PTI