Bhubaneswar: After joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), senior Odisha leader Debashish Samantaray on Thursday mounted a scathing attack on the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), and claimed he was forced to quit the regional outfit as he felt ‘suffocated’ within it.
During an interaction with reporters, the former MP further alleged that he was sidelined and denied access to BJD president Naveen Patnaik as part of a conspiracy.
Stressing that he originally belonged to the NDA, Samantaray said he is happy that he is back in the NDA fold where he had begun his political career over 26 years ago.
The former Rajya Sabha member alleged that he was prevented from visiting Naveen Niwas, the residence of the BJD supremo. Though Naveen Patnaik had earlier clarified that V K Pandian was not his political successor, the former bureaucrat has been controlling access to the BJD leadership, he claimed.
Stating that he considered Naveen Patnaik as his political ‘guru’, Samantaray said he was feeling suffocated in the BJD as he was now allowed to meet Naveen Patnaik, whom he admired and respected the most. “I failed to understand the kind of conspiracy that had hatched,” he said.
Regarding the Waqf Bill issue, the senior leader further claimed that Naveen Patnaik had twice stated during the MPs’ meeting that the BJD would strongly oppose the measure. However, within an hour, Sasmit Patra tweeted that MPs were free to vote as per their conscience, he said, adding that the sudden move drew sharp reactions.
He further questioned, “Naveen Nivas belongs to Naveen Patnaik. Who was controlling it that I was not even allowed entry?”
Taking another swipe at the BJD leadership, Samantaray alleged that individuals who “did not even know Biju Patnaik” had formed the Biju Foundation and claimed that the party had failed to honour the legacy of Biju Patnaik. He further alleged that there was now “no mother or father figure” left in the Biju Janata Dal.
Countering Samantaray’s allegations, BJD leaders said the regional party had provided him with several opportunities over the years. If Debashish Samantaray felt suffocated within the BJD, he should have resigned from the party earlier, said BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty.
