An internal rebellion has been cooking up in your party for the past two years. The difference of opinions among leaders, even ministers, have come to the fore. Co-operation minister Damodar Rout raised his voice against you on potato scarcity. What is happening?

Our party is democratic. We may have some difference of opinion. Our outlook on a particular issue may be different. But, there is no question of dissension. When the leadership decides something, we all stand by it. Besides, Rout is a senior leader. If he advises something, we try to follow it. Sometimes, I give my views. But it should not be treated as serious difference of opinion.

But, Rout has said that the potato crisis was caused by lack of co-ordination among various departments… 

Our’s is a potato-consuming state. We have 10 agro-climatic zones and each zone is identified with certain crops.  We have not been able to produce the required amount of potato to meet our demands. Besides potato production has come down by 30 per cent in the neighbouring Bengal. With the launch of Potato Mission, we have come up with an integrated planning to meet the needs of tuber. This year, there will be a constant flow of potato to the market, but the price of potato will remain on the upper side. To overcome shortage of potato in the future, we are coming up with a number of cold storages.

But will our dependence on Bengal continue?

We have to depend on Bengal as it is a neighbouring state. Both on transport and economic grounds, it is advisable to bring in potato from Bengal. We have already told the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (Nafed) to rethink the issue and see how more trucks of potato can come from other parts of the country. Besides, the Centre has brought potato and onion under the purview of essential commodities. So now, there will be barrier-free movement of these two products.

People are not getting rice under public distribution system as there are lapses in the distribution of ration cards. Genuine beneficiaries are not getting ration and bungling of ration cards has been a major issue… 

As we have taken up the exercise,  many lapses may occur. But we are trying to make it error-free. Once digitisation of ration cards is complete, all these issues will be sorted out. If mistakes are noticed, we will rectify those. But to bring 3.5 crore people under Food Security Act is a huge task.

The state is demanding more rice. Do you expect the Centre to oblige?

The people prefer rice. If the Centre forces us to take wheat, what can we do? We have put pressure on the Centre to give us required rice and not wheat.

The comptroller and auditor-general (CAG) has found out a number of lapses in the technical education imparted even in government-run colleges. How do you react to the charges? 

After placement of the report in the Assembly, I have asked for compliance of the report from the department, particularly on the loopholes. Once it is over, I will be able to give you a clear picture on this issue.

Question marks have been raised on the quality of technical education…

We are taking a number of steps to reform the technical education sector. Earlier, our students had to appear the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) and all-India JEE. But we have now opted for JEE so that our students compete at the all-India level. We have got the desired results as well. But technical education at the national level faces a number of hurdles. Employment opportunities have come down in the core subjects. But, there is a demand in computer and software-related subjects and the situation is not alarming. 

You had started a special recruitment drive for the technically qualified people. But it has been stopped midway… 

We had prepared a vision chart taking 10 factors into account. We have been able to achieve five targets, such as winding up of the diploma entrance test, opting for the JEE (Mains) and a few other things. But in the case of recruitment drive, we have not achieved success so far. When we were preparing to move ahead in this matter and hold discussions with 23 industrial houses, a lot of politics took place over the issue. We had an aim that the government would provide the platform. As it has not been possible so far, the deemed universities and the respective colleges are doing their own campus recruitment. However, I agree that unemployment is still a major problem.

You are in the news as your opponents have alleged that you had taken undue favour from money collection company Artha Tatwa by accepting an SUV…

I expect the media to be just. I have taken loan from Vijaya Bank to buy the SUV. This can be checked from the bank and from the regional transport officer (RTO) as well. If anyone has any doubts, they can approach the CBI.

But people think that you had taken favour from the deposit collection company… 

Please have some mercy. If I had taken the vehicle as gift from the company and someone proves it, I will consume poison and not show my face to anyone. Have some sympathy for me. Why are you not examining the documents which were circulated by my political opponents? Please verify the authenticity of the documents from the advocate general’s office or from the CBI. 

Nearly 4,000 people from your constituency had taken out a rally from Brahmagiri and demanded arrest of Congress leader Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra who had made these allegations…

The Congress had called a 12-hour Brahmagiri bandh on the issue.  But the people of Brahmagiri have reposed their faith in me and they want to take the case to a logical end.

Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra had used some harsh words against you... 

The people of Brahmagiri and Odisha will decide this issue. But I will wait and will take proper action at the proper time. I express my deep regrets if I have ever used any foul language against my opponent in the media. I don’t want to stoop to such a level where people will equate me with Mohapatra. I had also lost election in Brahmagiri in the past, but had never done any vilification of anyone. After I won the election, I was expecting the same democratic values. But no due recognition was given to the democratic process. What can I say if somebody crosses the limits and behaves like a mad person?

Did you raise the issue with your party president? 

I have already informed him about all these political developments, particularly how I had got the SUV by taking loans from the bank. There is no need to explain to him in details as he had already experienced a bit of the political heat during his tour to Brahmagiri. 

You have been the BJD youth wing president for nine years. You are also closely associated with the decision-making processes of the party. There is a perception that both the BJD and the BJP have a tacit understanding even though your party continues to oppose some of Centre’s decisions… 

We are maintaining equal distance from both the BJP and the Congress. Being a regional party, we have our regional aspirations. Our prime and foremost duty is to see that we should get our due from Centre. The tax should be equally distributed among the states and there should not be any regional disparity.  Our demand for special category state should be given due importance and other issues, such as Polavaram irrigation project, which will submerge vast swathe of area, be addressed.

That means you will continue with your demand for a special category state status? 

Yes. We will do it to fulfil the aspirations of the people of this region.

While you are saying you are opposing the BJP-led government at the Centre, your actions don’t show it. All of you, including your party’s 20 MPs, remained silent on the issue of shifting of wagon factory from Narla in Kalahandi district to Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh till it came to light through an RTI activist… 

The chief minister had personally written to the Centre regarding the wagon factory. When it was made public, we had also raised the issue in the Assembly. We had made our stand clear in the Assembly and later it was supported  by the Congress. So there is no need to be suspicious about the state’s motive.

Though Naveen Patnaik’s leadership remains undisputed, has he created a second rung of leaders within the party?  

The people of Odisha have reposed their faith in Naveen babu and with his inspiration everyone is trying to take Odisha forward to fulfil Biju Patnaik’s dreams. The BJD does not need an alternative leadership at this moment.