Bhubaneswar, June 6: Disgruntled BJD leader and former agriculture minister Damodar Rout today said he would not quit politics, even if he was thrown out of the party.

“I am a political animal and will stay in politics till my death. Even if I am thrown out of the party, I will not retire from politics,” said Rout, who was dropped from the cabinet last month.

The veteran leader said he was “loyal” to chief minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik. “I had been telling that Naveen babu was the absolute power centre in the government and the party. But, there was a public perception that Rajya Sabha member Pyari Mohan Moahapatra was the real power centre, while Naveen was merely executing his decisions. This was apparently proved when I was sacked from the ministry,” said Rout. The axed minister said he was upset that the chief minister was not dispelling this public perception.

“I am now happy that Naveen babu has declared himself as the only power centre in the party and is taking all decisions himself. But, through action he should dispel the growing public perception that the decisions are taken by him and not by someone else,” said he.

Rout claimed that he had not uttered anything which goes against the party discipline. “I had said that I would never accept existence of a second power centre in the party.”

A few days after he was dropped from the cabinet, Rout had alleged that Mohapatra was the real power centre and Naveen was merely executing his decisions.

Another former minister Debasis Nayak echoed the same views a few days later. Nayak was suspended from the party for “anti-party activities.”

However, no disciplinary action has been initiated against Rout yet despite demand from a section of party leaders loyal to Mohapatra.

Rout’s arch-rival and former school and mass education minister Bishnu Das said if the Paradip MLA chose to quit it would not make any difference to the ruling party. “It won’t have any impact on the politics of Jagatsinghpur,” said Das.

Rout has also been facing legal proceedings for his alleged anti-Dalit remarks. He had to surrender in a court in connection with a case registered against him by Kujang police for his alleged anti-Dalit remarks at a public meeting. A complaint in this regard has been pending before the National Commission for Scheduled Caste, which had sought report from the Orissa government.

The government today sought time till July 11 to respond to the commission.

Last month, Jagatsinghpur SP S. Devidutt Singh had appeared before the commission, but he did not turn up for the hearing today.

However, Jagatsinghpur MLA Bishnu Das had been to Delhi to attend the commission’s hearing.

The case is being watched closely by the rival sides.