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BJD to seek disqualification of Swain

BHUBANESWAR: No leader of his party had defied his orders since Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik became president of Biju Janata Dal in December 1998. But it happened on Tuesday when his party MP from Aska Harihar Swain voted in favour of the UPA government during the trust vote in Parliament by going against the party decision.

Mr. Patnaik, who immediately ordered for Mr. Swain’s expulsion from the party, tried to put up a brave face saying that giving the party ticket to the MP to fight the elections in 2004 was a mistake on his part.

Mr. Patnaik had so far been managed to remain the undisputed leader of the BJD by removing several senior leaders from the party. He had also suspended many leaders from the party on several occasions. But never ever had anybody hit back in such a fashion like Mr. Swain did.

The BJD president had also suspended Mr. Swain from the party on one occasion, but the suspension order was subsequently revoked.

Mr. Swain’s decision to go against the party decision came as a severe jolt to Mr. Patnaik as his own constituency Hinjilicut falls under the Aska Lok Sabha seat. Mr. Patnaik also represented Aska in the Lok Sabha before taking charge as Chief Minister in 2000.

The party is also writing to Lok Sabha Speaker seeking his disqualification as a Member of Parliament, a senior leader of the party said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Mr. Swain told presspersons that he had not voted for the UPA government for money but to defy Mr. Patnaik who was running the party as per his whims and fancies.

Mr. Swain, who worked as a Minister in the Congress government headed by J.B. Patnaik, had joined the BJD in the wake of the 2004 Lok Sabha polls.

BERHAMPUR: The Ganjam district unit of the BJD on Wednesday started its tirade against the expelled BJD MP from Aska.

The district unit of the party organised a rally against Mr Swain at old bus stand in the city. They burnt his effigies of Swain and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. A similar rally was also organised at Aska town. The BJD activists took out a procession that moved around Aska town shouting slogans against Mr Swain whom they termed a traitor.

District BJD president Subash Moharana said they would hold similar rallies against Mr Swain in different parts of the district in next few days. A rally against Mr Swain and the corrupt ways through which the UPA government saved itself would be held at BJD chief’s constituency Hinjli on Thursday.

BJD MLA of Berhampur R.C.C. Patnaik alleged that people of the district know Swain as a habitual defector who has always changed colours for personal gains. He had started his political career in Janata Party but later had joined the Congress and had left the Congress to join the BJD to contest from Aska parliamentary constituency in the last Lok Sabha polls. "We would make people remember this habit of Mr Swain and his corrupt image as a minister in Congress era through our rallies," he said.

According to BJD leaders of the district his expulsion from the party would have no impact on the BJD organisation in Aska area as he was never in touch with people of the constituency after he won from the Lok Sabha seat.

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