BJP, Cong hit back; accuse Naveen of ‘misleading’ people

Reported by Chinmaya Dehury

Bhubaneswar, Mar 5:

Under fire from the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik earlier in the day, the Congress and the BJP pounced on the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo for what they called ‘misleading’ the people of Odisha.

Speaking at the BJD youth convention here, Naveen had fired a salvo at the two national parties for their leaders’ no show during the Phailin last October.

“Everyone knows that Narendra Modi had expressed his interest to provide assistance to the state during Phailin. But it was the chief minister himself who had declined to receive any assistance from the Gujarat government. So, the chief minister should not mislead the people on the issue,” BJP president KV Singhdeo said in his retort to Naveen’s allegation that Modi did not care to visit the state during Phailin.

“The party, which is talking of Odisha’s pride, has made it the poorest state in the country. It has failed to provide employment, check farmers’ suicide or prevent youth from migrating to other states in search of job. So, the talk of Swabhiman does not go well with Patnaik,” said the state BJP president.

The Congress also took potshots at the ruling party on the special category status to Odisha.

“In its manifesto for the 2000 elections, the BJD had declared that it will give special tag. Where has the promise gone? Has it been fulfilled? Instead of trying to nail others, it should look at its own faults first,” said media cell chairman of state Congress Narasingh Mishra.