Bhubaneswar: Hours after BJP National President Amit Shah said Odisha government is inactive and incapable to usher in development, the ruling BJD hit back and said the saffron party leader lacks basic political courtesy and trying hard to come to power by hook or crook.

Addressing a press conference jointly by BJD Rajya Sabha MP Pratap Keshari Deb, MLAs Arun Sahoo and Sanjay Das Burma, the ruling party leaders said the BJP chief’s claim of Centre giving more funds is totally false.

“In a federal system, the Central government provides funds to states and this is nothing new,” Sahoo said adding the Centre is not giving donation.

The ruling party too came down heavily on BJP President who earlier in the day took a dig at Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik by saying “being awarded by magazine doesn’t bring development.”

“If Odisha government is doing nothing then why the Centre and other organisations giving awards to us,” asked Deb.

He also accused the Centre of not releasing funds under several schemes running in Odisha.

Replying to BJP’s allegation of dynasty politics in BJD, the ruling party leaders said Naveen Patnaik, who is the chief of BJD, entered into politics after the death of his father Biju Patnaik as people trusted him due to his personality and knowledge.

“Our CM only does his job quietly and he never indulges in speaking indecent against anyone publicly,” said Sahoo.

Notably, the BJP chief accused the Biju Janata Dal government in Odisha of not cooperating and thus grounding several projects even though the Centre had allocated over Rs 4 lakh crore.

Shah is on a three-day visit to Odisha to galvanise party workers for the 2019 assembly polls. The BJP has just 10 MLAs in the state Assembly.

Meanwhile, BJD leaders and party workers took out a bike rally and staged protest at Lower PMG Square here this evening against Amit Shah’s remarks against Naveen Patnaik.