Young are senior, we are elder: Dama

Cuttack: In a visible anguish over the meeting of four young ministers with chief minister Naveen Patnaik, senior BJD leader and minister Damodar Rout today commented on the young guns that they are considered as most seniors in the cabinet now-a-days.

On the sidelines of a programme here in the city, the Excise minister said " We are elder not senior, but they (young ministers) are considered as the most seniors in the Cabinet. The State now belong to them not us."

When asked whether young ministers' influence in the party is increasing by the day , the top leader directly refused to reply on it.

"Ask him, who is running the party. Why are you asking me such query?", he questioned the media persons.

Notably, Food minister Sanjay Dasburma, Law Minister Arun Sahu, Health and Family Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and Energy Minister Pranab Prakash Das had met the Chief Minister at his Secretariat chamber hours before the latter left for New Delhi to attend National Development Council meeting.

Commenting on Rout’s remark, BJD spokesperson Sameer Das said “The senior leaders have been kept in prominent places in the party. They are senior cabinet ministers and vice-presidents. They have always been given priorities in the party. Therefore, four seats in the front row of the State Assembly are reserved for them.”