Bhubaneswar, Sep 20 (IANS): Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Saturday expelled senior leader and former state finance minister Prafulla Chandra Ghadai for anti-party activities.

"Prafulla Chandra Ghadai has been expelled from the party for anti-party activities with immediate effect," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told reporters.

The expulsion came hours after local newspaper "Sambad" published excerpts of a yet-to-be published interview of Ghadai in which he purportedly questioned the leadership of Patnaik and accused him of being under the influence of a coterie.

The 74-year-old Ghadai, a close aide of late Biju Patnaik, father of the chief minister, was elected to the state assembly a number of times. He was denied a ticket by the party in the 2014 election.

Reacting to his expulsion, Ghadai said: "I have never done anything against the interest of the party and always had been a loyal party worker. I have nothing to comment. Let the people judge."

BJD spokesman Samir Ranjan Dash said the party expelled Ghadai because he was working to weaken the leadership.