A day after triggering speculation of cracks in the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha, party MP, Mr Pyari Mohan Mohapatra, on Wednesday ruled out any plans to topple the Chief Minister, Mr Naveen Patnaik. But, he admitted to differences with Mr Patnaik as he felt the State Government was gradually “losing control” due to “arrogance” of bureaucrats.

“I had drawn the attention of the Chief Minister to this trend but little action has been taken. As a result, arrogance of bureaucrats is increasing,” Mr Mohapatra, who is regarded as chief adviser and strategist of the ruling BJD, told reporters here.

Claiming that he had no aspiration to become the Chief Minister, Mr Mohapatra said there was no move at all to topple the Government headed by Mr Patnaik.

“There is absolutely no threat to Mr Naveen Patnaik from me. He is completely safe as the Chief Minister as he is the leader of the BJD,” the former bureaucrat-turned-Rajya Sabha MP said.

He said the Chief Minister had called him from abroad and enquired about several legislators gathering at his house and he explained to him that there was no formal meeting and that some MLAs had visited his house only to discuss their grievances and party matters.

Referring to Mr Patnaik's reported remark deploring the ‘developments', he said the comment was a result of “misleading” information given to him by some party leaders, who also held a meeting at Naveen Niwas as a “panic reaction”.

Alleging that Mr Patnaik was encircled by a group of conspirators, Mr Mohapatra said that “the group members have been trying to eliminate me in order to target the Chief Minister in the next phase.”

The sudden meeting of some 33 BJD MLAs including three ministers at Mr Mohapatra's house on Tuesday night in the absence of the Chief Minister, who is on a visit abroad, had sparked speculation about fissures in the BJD.

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