Mahapatra's papers rejected

By Our Special Correspondent

BHUBANESWAR, FEB. 5. The nomination papers of the former chairman of the BJD political affairs committee, Mr. Bijoy Mahapatra, who was expelled from the party for anti- party activities on Thursday, were rejected by the Returning Officer at Patkura Assembly constituency today.

Mr. Mahapatra had filed his papers as the BJD candidate on Wednesday last.

However, Mr. Atanu Sabyasachi, a journalist, filed his papers as the party candidate minutes before the filing of nominations ended on Thursday.

Mr. Mahapatra was expelled from the party the same evening.

Reacting to his expulsion and rejection of his papers, Mr. Mahapatra said it was the result of a deep-rooted conspiracy hatched by the party president, Mr. Naveen Patnaik, some business houses and Congress(I) leaders, who he said ``were involved in different scams.''

He said ``Mr. Patnaik saw in him a potential threat.'' Hence, he made it sure that he was not allowed to contest the elections.''

Ruling out the possibility of a split in the BJD, Mr. Mahapatra dared Mr. Patnaik to campaign for the party candidate in Patkura seat.

He said he would convene a meeting of the BJD workers after the elections to decide the next course of action.

Patnaik's charge PTI reports:

The BJD president, Mr. Naveen Patnaik, alleged that Mr. Mahapatra had a nexus with a former Congress(I) Chief Minister of the State.

``I had to take disciplinary action against him because of his nexus with the powerful Congress(I) leader and his other anti- party activities,'' Mr. Patnaik told presspersons here.

He also blamed Mr. Mahapatra for the more number of rebel candidates in the fray.

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