BJD Revokes Expulsion of Senior Leader Dr. Damodar Rout

Bhubaneswar: In a significant development ahead of the 2024 elections, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has decided to reinstate senior politician Dr. Damodar Rout, effectively lifting his expulsion from the party with immediate effect.

Dr. Rout, a former minister and seven-time MLA, had faced expulsion from the BJD in 2018 due to allegations of engaging in anti-party activities. The veteran politician had come under scrutiny for his claims of financial impropriety, including a Rs 30 crore misappropriation in Omfed, a Rs 700 crore scam in the Odisha State Cooperative Bank, and a Rs 100 crore fraud related to sapling plantation under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Notably, in December 2017, Dr. Rout had been removed from the State Council of Ministers in Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s Cabinet. Additionally, he lost his position as BJD Vice-President following remarks against the Brahmin community made during a function in Malkangiri.

This reinstatement holds significance in the political landscape, as the BJD recalibrates its internal dynamics ahead of the upcoming elections. The move could potentially impact the party’s standing and strategy in the political arena.