After falling from the grace of Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik, rebel BJD leader Pyarimohan Mohapatra on Monday accused the Chief Minister of shielding politicians involved in the multi-crore mining scam.
“The Chief Minister did not allow State Vigilance to begin persecution against certain politicians and non-officials who were allegedly involved in mining scam. I had requested the Chief Minister several times to allow the Vigilance to probe against non-officials. But he did not clear the file,” Mohapatra told mediapersons here.
Claiming that he had taken up the matter with the then Director of Vigilance Anup Patnaik, Mohapatra said the Vigilance chief told him that the Chief Minister was sitting over the file. Mohapatra dared the Chief Minister to order a CBI probe into all corruption charges against him while objecting to any probe by the State Vigilance. “I reject Vigilance probe as the allegations against me have been made by some MLAs from Naveen Nivas. Therefore, Naveen is one of the accusers,” he said.
Besides, as Member of Parliament, the State Vigilance cannot initiate any probe against him, he said. “I will commit suicide by taking cyanide if my involvement in any corruption charges, including the mining scam, is proved,” an emotionally charged Mohapatra said.
He, however, gave a clean chit to the Chief Minister saying that Naveen is not directly involved in any scams. Ruling out the possibility of rapprochement with the Chief Minister, Mohapatra said, “There is little scope for an understanding when there is trust deficit.
” “I am not mad,” was his reply when asked if he had sought an appointment with the Governor for parading his supporters to claim that he has the numbers to form the Government.
No sane person will make a coup attempt in full media glare, he said, adding, “I am not such a political novice to do that. ” It was a propaganda by his adversaries who succeeded in their mission to create a wedge between him and Naveen.
Now attempts are made to organise the corporators of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) against the respective mayors. BMC Mayor Ananta Jena and CMC Mayor Soumendra Ghosh are known Pyari supporters.
Taking strong exception to Naveen calling him as Beiman (traitor), Mohapatra, who had the sobriquet of modern-day Chanakya, said he had never imagined that the Chief Minister will stoop to such a low. However, the best thing happened to the party after this unsavoury incident that the Chief Minister, who hardly knows majority of the MLAs, has started interacting with them, he remarked. Mohapatra ruled out resigning as Rajya Sabha member following his suspension from the BJD.
