Bhubaneswar: The BJP on Thursday threatened to launch agitation if agriculture minister Damodar Rout did not tender an apology for his alleged remarks against a party spokesperson.

The BJP said Rout had made remarks about the marital status of BJP spokesperson Lekhashree Samantsinghar at a BJD function held in Jajpur on Wednesday. Incidentally, Samantasinghar had described Rout as "Shikhandi (a transgender) and Naveen Patnaik Dhritarashtra of The Mahabarat epic," in response to Rout's strident attack on the BJP.

BJP mahila morcha state president Pravati Parida on Thursday said: "Either Rout should resign or tender public apology within next 24 hours as he had shown utter disrespect to a dignified woman. Or else, we will launch a state-wide agitation from tomorrow (Friday)."

"It seems that Rout has gone insane. He is not fit to remain in a government. He should resign from the ministry forthwith," said Parida.

Reacting to Rout's alleged derogatory remark against her, Samantsinghar had earlier said: "His remark bespoke of his educational and social upbringing. I have pardoned him for his offensive remark against a woman, which has lowered the dignity of the entire women community."

However, the veteran leader denied that he had made any remark against Samantsinghar. "I am shocked to hear this. I can't utter such derogatory word against anybody. I have come from a civilised society. Such false and baseless allegation was hurled against me just to vitiate the political atmosphere," he told The Telegraph.

Rout's reported outburst came in reaction to Samantsinghar's statement describing chief minister Naveen Patnaik as Dhritarasthra and dubbing Rout as Sikhandi.

She had drawn such parallel, in reaction to Naveen's attack on the BJP and Rout's subsequent news conference highlighting the failures of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and other BJP-ruled states, reeling out statistics. Samantsinghar said Naveen had fielded Rout against the BJP, who is like a Sikhandi.