Bhubaneswar: After Arun Sahoo, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, senior BJD leader and Energy Minister Pratap Keshari Deb today launched a veiled attack on his own party MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik over his editorial piece targeting the office of Chief Minister.
Deb advised him to quit the party first and do whatever he wants through his editorial.
“In the democratic system, there is no problem in everyone having an opinion. But, when you are in a particular party and an MLA from that party, then it is not right to criticize the party or the government policies. This act is called ‘black mail’.”, Deb said.
The minister further said, “Soumya Babu is an well educated and wise man. There is no need to give him advice. But he should know that he is a leader of BJD. It is not appropriate to aggressively suggest to the Chief Minister’s office being in the party line.”
Pratap said if he has something to say, he should raise it in the party forum. Criticizing the party from outside is breach of party discipline, he maintained.
Deb said the Chief Minister’s door is open for everyone. We all have met the Chief Minister whenever we want. Starting from the common people, hundreds of people from different walks of life are meeting the CM.
The fact is that Soumya Babu is behaving like this only because he he did not get a ministerial berth.
On the other hand, Patnaik retorted the Minister, clarifying that he would not quit party.
“Why should I quit party? You can suspend me from the party,” he said.
Patnaik claimed that what he is writing is for the benefit of the BJD. When reports are published in the national media regarding declining popularity of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, it is his duty to wake up the party. When he is in the party, he did what was good for it, Soumya said.
The MLA has reiterated that 5-T secretary cannot do politics. It is not acceptable when someone is doing politics being a government servant. He should leave the post and come to politics, Soumya said.
