BHUBANESWAR: Senior Biju Janata Dal leader and former minister Sanjay Dasburma on Tuesday created a flutter in the political circles by stating that “outside powers” are trying to loot mineral resources of the state and plunder Lord Jagannath’s Ratna Bhandar.
Close on the heels of the rebellion in Dhamnagar assembly segment which the Biju Janata Dal comprehensively lost, Dasburma’s outburst has surprised many. The former deputy chairman of State Planning Board happens to be the general secretary (establishment) of the BJD.
Dasburma’s statements, as part of his speech during party’s Jana Sampark Padayatra at Malisahi under Bramhagiri sadar block, were seemingly targeted at those controlling the party affairs, and not chief minister Naveen Patnaik.Sources pointed out that the senior BJD leader was training his guns on party’s organizational secretary Pranab Prakash Das.
Dasburma said when he was first elected to the assembly in 2009 from Bramhagiri assembly constituency, he was made the deputy government chief whip and later went on to handle several important departments including food supply and consumer welfare as a minister of state.
He lost to BJP’s Lalitendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra in the 2019 assembly election. The BJD leader said: “Even after I was defeated in the election, the chief minister made me the deputy chairperson of the State Planning Board and general secretary (establishment) of the BJD.” he said and added, the present situation has changed.
“Some people think every decision taken by them will be quietly obeyed but a fitting reply will be given to them,” he said. Dasburma has been sidelined by the party after he was asked to resign as the deputy chairperson of State Planning Board along with other ministers in July before the chief minister reshuffled his ministry.