 "Bijay Mohapatra challanges Naveen to face him in poll battle")
BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra today hit back at ruling BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik asking the chief minister to face him in the electoral field directlty instead of playing "dirty tricks".
Mohapatra's challenge came a day after Patnaik talked about "betrayal of some party leaders" for the failure of his father Biju Patnaik to become chief minister of Odisha for the second time after 1995 elections.
Hit by "betrayal" slur, Mohapatra claimed that he had brought Naveen Patnaik to politics after demise of his father Biju Patnaik in 1997.
Stating that Patnaik has a long list of betraying people, Mohapatra said he was a victim of the BJD supremo's act of "betrayal," treachery and backstabbing."
Though Mohapatra, one of the founder members of the BJD, was given party ticket to contest from Patkura assembly segement in 2000, Naveen snatched it at the 11th hour and prevented the senior leader from contesting the polls. Patnaik instead nominated a fresher Atanu S Nayak as the BJD candidate from Patkura assembly segment.
Mohapatra was elected to assembly for the first time through a bye-election as a Janata Party candidate in 1980 and then become a MLA in 1985 and later become MLA twice as Janata Dal candidate in 1990 and 1995. However, he could not fight the polls in 2000.
Since 2000, Mohapatra has failed to get elected to assembly and this time in 2014 polls, he is in the fray from Mahakalpada seat as a BJP candidate.
Mohapatra's challenge came a day after Patnaik talked about "betrayal of some party leaders" for the failure of his father Biju Patnaik to become chief minister of Odisha for the second time after 1995 elections.
Hit by "betrayal" slur, Mohapatra claimed that he had brought Naveen Patnaik to politics after demise of his father Biju Patnaik in 1997.
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"Naveen was not in politics in 1995. Therefore, it is foolish on his part to comment on what had led to Janata Dal's defeat then," he said
Stating that Patnaik has a long list of betraying people, Mohapatra said he was a victim of the BJD supremo's act of "betrayal," treachery and backstabbing."
Though Mohapatra, one of the founder members of the BJD, was given party ticket to contest from Patkura assembly segement in 2000, Naveen snatched it at the 11th hour and prevented the senior leader from contesting the polls. Patnaik instead nominated a fresher Atanu S Nayak as the BJD candidate from Patkura assembly segment.
Mohapatra was elected to assembly for the first time through a bye-election as a Janata Party candidate in 1980 and then become a MLA in 1985 and later become MLA twice as Janata Dal candidate in 1990 and 1995. However, he could not fight the polls in 2000.
Since 2000, Mohapatra has failed to get elected to assembly and this time in 2014 polls, he is in the fray from Mahakalpada seat as a BJP candidate.