Bhubaneswar: Questioning Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's honesty in the coalgate, rebel BJD leader and Odisha Jan Morcha founder Pyarimohan Mohapatra on Sunday claimed the ruling party has struck a deal with Congress.
"There is a deal between Naveen Patnaik and Congress over coalgate scam. The deal is to slow down CBI probe in allocation of a coal block to a particular private company on the recommendation of Naveen," Mohapatra said at OJM's maiden public meeting here.
Earlier, Union Minister of State in PMO, V Narayanasamy, during his visit here, had said that CBI would probe into Patnaik's role in the coal block allocation to a private company.
The Rajya Sabha MP also claimed that BJD had agreed to abstain from voting if UPA government faced a no-confidence motion in Parliament over FDI in retail sector.
Slamming Patnaik for terming OJM as a "B" team of Congress, Mohapatra said, "OJM was formed within BJD to cleanse and reform the ruling party. It comprised people having self-esteem and self-respect."
He claimed the Chief Minister deliberately did not demand more royalty from minerals. "We should have demanded 50 percent royalty on iron ore. But, the Chief Minister sought only 20 percent and finally got only 10 percent."
Mohapatra, who was suspended from BJD on charge of attempting to topple the Patnaik government through a coup on May 29, said, "Had I planned a coup, I could have done it elsewhere. But, I had invited MLAs to my residence to know their problems."
He said an "insecure" Patnaik considered him as a threat for ensuring victory of BJD candidates in panchayat elections in March.
The OJM leader claimed ministers and MLAs are treated like servants by the CM who did not have a will to learn how to read, write and speak Odiya.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, October 28, 2012, 21:17