Dama floats Manch, many stay away

BHUBANESWAR: Biju Janata Dal dissident and former minister Damodar Rout on Tuesday launched the Biju Bichar Manch (BBM), a non-political forum, to propagate the ideals of Biju Patnaik among the leaders of the regional outfit. The organisation is seen as a platform against the second power centre, Rajya Sabha member Pyarimohan Mohapatra. It was expected that some disgruntled leaders in the BJD will attend the launching ceremony. But ministers, MLAs and senior leaders of the party stayed away from the meeting.Former minister Debasis Nayak, who was suspended from the BJD for criticising the style of functioning of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, did not show up. Sources said Naveen had assuaged the hurt feelings of Nayak by visiting flood-affected Bari in Jajpur district, the latter’s Assembly constituency.However, former minister Saharai Oram, former leader of the Opposition Sachidananda Dalal, former MP Rahas Bihari Barik and two former MLAs __ Ratho Das and Hrushikesh Nayak __ attended the function.Claiming that the launch was a success, Rout said  nobody was invited to the function. All have come spontaneously, he said.But as a beginning, the BBM did draw old Biju loyalists from across the State and all districts. Addressing the meeting, Rout called upon the Chief Minister to take full command, instead of delegating authority to a ‘second power centre.’Rout, a vice-president in the BJD, has raised the issue of another power centre since he was dropped from the ministry on May 9. Rout went on to claim that the decision to drop him was not that of the Chief Minister, but of ‘someone’, an obvious reference to Pyarimohan.Stating that he had no political ambition after being MLA six times and minister for over 12 years, Rout said the formation of the BBM should not be considered as a political plan to acquire power. Asked about the role of the BBM in the ensuing panchayat elections due early next year, Rout said people would be asked to vote for honest persons who would look after their needs. Claiming that Biju loyalists were sidelined, Rout lamented that bitter critics of the legendary leader were prospering in the party and Government.