Odisha: Naveen Patnaik calls Pyari Mohan Mohapatra a 'thief'

New Delhi: A day after suspending Rajya Sabha MP Pyari Mohan Mohapatra and two MLAs from ruling BJD and dismissing two ministers, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday called Mohapatra a 'thief'.

He further said that Mohapatra tried to engineer a coup against him.

Patnaik said Mohapatra's reaction after being suspended was nothing but out of frustration as he failed to topple the BJD government.

Naveen Patnaik said Mohapatra\'s reaction after being suspended was nothing but out of frustration as he failed to topple the BJD government.

He was responding to Mohapatra's statement on Friday night calling the Chief Minister a 'traitor' and the person who did not have any contribution towards growth of the party.

Admitting that he used to consult Mohapatra, his father Biju Patnaik's secretary, on various matters, the chief minister said Mohapatra joined politics much later.

Besides Mohapatra, Patnaik suspended MLAs Pravat Biswal and Bibhuti Balabantray and sacked ministers Anjali Behera (Women and Child Development, cabinet) and Sanjeev Sahu Commerce and Transport, Minister of State).

With Additional Inputs From PTI

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