Bhubaneswar: Rivals of BJD leader Damodar Rout on Monday met chief minister Naveen Patnaik to counter the former minister, who, of late, has been exposing one scandal after another much to the embarrassment of the state government.

A delegation, led by BJD Jagatsinghpur unit chief Bishnu Charan Das and Balikuda Ersama MLA Prashant Muduli, met Naveen and accused Rout of indiscipline.

Both alleged that Rout was in touch with the BJP and the Congress. They demanded Rout's expulsion. "If Dama babu is not expelled, people in Jagatsinghpur will start distancing themselves from the party," said Das.

Rout said: "I was unceremoniously dropped from the ministry and removed as party vice-president. Now, they can only throw me out."

He said: "However, Naveen will not throw me from the party."