40 MLAs gather at Naveen Niwas to support CM

By Nalini Sahu / www.indusvalleytimes.com Bhubaneswar, May 30: Over half a dozen ministers, 40 legislators and five MPs on Wednesday evening gathered at Naveen Niwas expressing their solidarity with the chief minister Naveen Patnaik. They leaders deplored the revolt bid by the party’s Rajya Sabha MP Pyarimohan Mohapatra. “All the MLAs, MPs and party workers are with Naveen Patnaik. Pyarimohan Mohapatra would not succeed in his mission to divide the party,” BJD vice president Dr Damodar Rout said. Finance minister Prafulla Chandra Ghadei said all the leaders of the party stood by the chief minister’s leadership and the present crisis would be over after arrival of Mr Patnaik in Bhubaneswar on Thursday morning. Meanwhile, the BJD MP Mr Mohapatra, while replying to a query as to what would be his reaction if the chief minister took disciplinary action against him and his loyalists, Mr Mohapatra retorted, “It’s like you are asking me if I would be using umbrella if it rains.” To another question, he replied, “If the BJD legislators meet and decide to change the leadership, I cannot say anything on that. But such a possibility is far ahead.” BJD vice president Dr Damodar Rout Mr Mohapatra was trying to destabilize the ruling BJD by holding an “unwarranted” meeting. Source: www.indusvalleytimes.com