BHUBANESWAR: THE possibility of re-inducting former BJD leaders into the ruling party fold appears bright with Chief Minister and party president Naveen Patnaik hinting that a decision on it will be taken on case-to-case basis.
Speculations are rife that some prominent political leaders, who were once members of the BJD but had left the party owing to certain circumstances, are making sustained efforts to come back to the ruling party. And the Chief Minister’s statement now is like music to their ears. “It will be taken on case-to-case basis,” Naveen said, when asked if he will consider re-induction of the leaders who were associated with the BJD from the beginning, but were later expelled from the party.
Naveen’s statement has raised hopes among many former BJD leaders, including former finance ministers Prafulla Chandra Ghadai and Panchanan Kanungo, senior leaders Bijay Mohapatra and Dilip Ray. Though Mohapatra and Ray are currently in the BJP, they don’t seem to be comfortable in the saffron party.
The move by the Chief Minister has been welcomed by several leaders, including Cooperation Minister and BJD vice-president Damodar Rout. “I wholeheartedly welcome the idea of bringing back the leaders who were closely associated with Biju Patnaik. If old leaders return to the BJD, the party will be further strengthened,” Rout said.
Stating that leaders do get expelled and return to their parent party which is common in politics, Rout said Mohapatra is a founding member of the BJD and Ray was like a family member of Biju Babu. All efforts should be made to invite all those leaders who had left the party for various reasons, he added.
Ghadai, who was expelled from the party for making unpalatable remarks against the BJD chief, said he had never been away from the party. “I had never been away from the BJD. I am still working for the party. There was some misunderstanding with the party chief which is now a thing of past. I will accept any responsibility given to me in the party,” said Ghadai.
The CM on Wednesday met the elected representatives of Kalahandi district and advised them to work hard and deliver the welfare programmes of the government to the people.