You have been included in the ministry for the first time, 17 years after you became an MLA. Do you feel that you had been neglected all this while?

I am thankful to the media and the public for highlighting my name whenever there were talks about cabinet reshuffle in the past. Even I was always hopeful of becoming a minister but the chief minister has to weigh all options before taking a decision.

My turn never came until now, as there were senior leaders like Prafulla Ghadei from my district (Jajpur). Another leader from the area, Pramila Mallick, was inducted as minister since she is a woman, belonging to scheduled caste category. Perhaps, these factors were taken into consideration.

Would you say you had to wait too long to get your due?

I am happy to have finally become a minister. When the news came in, my wife had tears of joy. She was so overwhelmed that she could not utter a word.

You never got along with suspended rebel leader Pyari Mohan Mohapatra, who was believed to be the second power centre in the party. Do you think you have been rewarded with a cabinet berth because you were in the “anti-Pyari” group?

I was never in any group. Biju (Patnaik) babu had once told me that discipline is the key to success. I have been following his advice till date and now, I am reaping the rewards.

Do you agree with the public perception that Ghadei was dropped as minister for his alleged involvement in the coup attempt to dislodge chief minister Naveen Patnaik from power?

Ghadei has himself clarified that he was never involved in the coup attempt nor had any ambitions to become the chief minister. Why drag me into this controversial issue?

Is it true that you wanted to settle scores with Ghadei and so, expressed wholehearted support to BJD leader Hussain Rabi Gandhi, who was allegedly attacked by supporters of Ghadei’s son, Priti Ranjan?

I was not in touch with Rabi Gandhi for two years until the incident took place.

We met after he visited the chief minister, who assured him that justice would be done.

I told him to keep faith in the CM’s words. The revenue divisional commissioner (Central) is probing the matter and if Priti Ranjan Ghadei is involved, we will ultimately find out.

Do you think the coup attempt has affected unity within the party?

It has rather strengthened the party. The conspirators have been exposed.

Naveen Patnaik has become stronger now. This would be reflected in the 2014 elections.

The Biju Janata Dal will come to power for the fourth consecutive time.

There is a general perception that bureaucrats are overbearing and dominate ministers. What is your view?

My department’s secretary (Aparajita Sarangi) is very dynamic and hardworking. She wants development works to reach the people.

Till now, we have no problem. Problems crop up when you have a personal agenda.

You had highlighted a coal scam in Odisha in 2006, alleged that the Odisha Small Industries and Odisha Consumer Cooperative Federation were hand in gloves in allotting coal worth crores to non-existent companies and firms. What is the progress in this case?

The vigilance is inquiring into the issue. The case is still open.

Don’t you agree that there has been rampant corruption in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme? The CBI is also investigating it.

There have been some irregularities in few parts of the state but the media has blown the issue out of proportion. We are cooperating with the CBI. Irregularities were also reported from the constituency of then Union minister C.P. Joshi. The incoherent problems attached to the scheme have to be sorted out.

What are the problems?

Minimum wages of labourers is only Rs 126 now. It should be raised as per prevailing market rates. Sometimes, it takes six months for disbursement of money to their accounts as a result of which, labourers are losing interest and not turning up for work.

A vigilance case was registered against you when you were the chairman of Konark Television Limited in the 90s allegedly for showing favour to a supplier?

It was a conspiracy by the then Congress government to defame me, using vigilance as a tool. This has been exposed.

The company’s managing director had then asked me to sign a document and accordingly, money was released to the person supplying TV cabinets.

I have done nothing wrong. Vigilance officials tried their best but did not find my involvement.

You are saying the government can manipulate vigilance. So, there must be some truth in the Opposition’s allegations that the BJD government is using vigilance to its advantage.

No, the Congress government used to do that, for which it was voted out of power. Vigilance department is now functioning independently, without any influence.

A seasoned politician

• Hailing from Jajpur district, Kalpataru Das is the minister of panchayati raj and parliamentary affairs

• After completing his graduation, he joined the state transport service as junior statistical assistant. Gradually, he got involved in the transport employees’ federation, protesting against the exploitation meted out to the semployees of his department. He was transferred to Koraput district following which he quit his job in 1975

• A couple of years later, Das entered politics and joined the Janata Dal. He was the general secretary of the party’s district unit for three years after which he switched over loyalty to the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980. After a five-year stint, he returned to his original party and served till 1998 in various capacities. He considers late Janata Dal heavyweight Ashok Das as his mentor

• He is one of the first general secretaries of the Biju Janata Dal, which was created after the death of legendary leader Biju Patnaik in 1997. A legislator from Dharmasala constituency in Jajpur, Das was inducted into the ministry for the first time earlier this month

• As minister of panchayati raj, he plans to enact a law that would give authority to gram panchayats to impose taxes on potential sources such as ponds, government orchards, sand or pheri ghats, without affecting the interests of the rural population. The bill is likely to be presented in the winter session of the Assembly

What would you have been had you not been a POLITICIAN?

I was an active trade union leader and would have continued to be one.
I have struggled very hard to reach where I am today.
I was born into a lower middle class family in Jajpur and the circumstances at home
were such that I was not able to pursue regular studies.
I appeared for my matriculation exams privately and with great difficulty.
While studying in the BJB College, Bhubaneswar, I used to give tuitions to support myself. In those days, in the 60s, I made Rs 40 to 50 through private tuitions.