Union Minister Jual Oram Alleges BJP Conspiracy to Oust Him From Cabinet

Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram has publicly accused unnamed colleagues within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of orchestrating a conspiracy to defame him and force his removal from the Union cabinet. The senior leader from Odisha made the remarks on Friday at the party office, alleging that certain individuals were spending money to spread a smear campaign against him.

Oram, a six-time MP from Sundargarh, suggested that leaders who had joined the BJP from other parties were behind the efforts. He claimed these individuals believed his removal from the cabinet would create an opportunity for them. Without naming anyone, Oram warned that he had the strength to "cut off their hands and throw them away" if they tried to damage his reputation.

The Union minister said he had already brought the matter to the attention of BJP's general secretary (organisation), Manas Mohanty. He added that if the issue was not resolved at the state level, he would escalate it to the central leadership. Oram asserted that he had given his "blood and sweat" for the party and condemned attempts to destabilise him.

In a notable reversal, Oram announced he would contest elections again, despite having previously said he would not fight direct elections. He challenged his detractors to face him politically, vowing to "finish" those trying to destabilise him.

Oram's statement comes a day after Rourkela police arrested his representative, Prakash Paswan, who had booked rooms at a Circuit House for seven people later arrested with arms and ammunition. Oram has called for a fair and impartial probe into the incident. The BJP's Odisha unit has not yet responded to his allegations.