Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the 2024 general elections, the Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has been witnessing intense infighting and the intra-party conflicts are resulting in the trading of barbs among the conch party members.
Former state minister Damodar Rout’s long-standing rivalry with BJD leader Debasish Samantaray has again caught the limelight on Friday.
Dama Rout’s MLA son Sambit Routray took a sarcastic jibe at ex- Cuttack MLA after Samanray hinted at contesting from Paradeep Assembly constituency in 2024 general elections.
Samantaray, who had lost his Barabati seat to Congress leader Mohammed Moquim in 2019 polls, is said to be keen on a contest from the Paradeep Assembly seat in 2024, while the Paradip MLA, Routray mocked him saying ‘He is daydreaming’.
Such remark from Sambit came after Samantaray indirectly targeted the former at a meeting in the port town.
“If I get an opportunity, with the blessings of Maa Sarala and Lord Jagannath, there would be no tears in the eyes of any mother in this area. The MLA did not recognize anyone here. First, he needs to recognize the constituents and understand the plights of the women,” said Samantaray.
On the other hand, Paradip MLA has attacked his father’s bete noire Samantray for eyeing his seat.
In retaliation to this, Sambit said,”There’s no problem in dreaming, but daydreaming is very dangerous. Efforts should be there to win the hearts of people. But it’s impossible to gain and reach new heights by criticising others.”
“If I don’t recognize the people in my constituency, how I got elected in the 2019 elections? He has been trying to contest the election from Paradip since 2009, but the people are not giving the opportunity to him. My father was MLA from there and then I was elected by the people. But, what is the relation of him with Paradeep? He is daydreaming,” said Sambit.