High drama on cards as Jenas threaten to land in Naveen Niwas on Monday

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, March 9:

There is high drama on the cards at Naveen Niwas on Monday as the campaign committee chief of the Congress for Odisha Srikant Jena and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Jayadev Jena have threatened to come knocking on the doors of Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik ‘along with three senior Congress leaders’ to seek an appointment for a public debate on three major issues.

In a letter to Patnaik, the Jena duo said they would like to discuss three issues – the mining scam, the chit fund scam and central assistance to Odisha – ‘transparently in any public space in larger public interest.’

The Jenas said the people of Odisha deserve to know why Odisha is one of the poorest state in the country and migration of unemployed youth is taking place to neighbouring states.

Jena said that there has been no growth in the agriculture sector and that farmers are being exploited in the state.

“You will appreciate that in a healthy democracy, the essence of debate is critical. It is more so important during the time of elections to bring the facts to the public. It will also provide the opportunity to you to bring forth any contribution made by BJD for the development of Odisha and its people,” the two Jenas said in their joint letter to the Chief Minister.

Later addressing a press conference here, Jena referred to the Raghuram Rajan Committee report which had categorised Odisha as the least developed state while slamming Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for blaming the Centre for Odisha’s problems.

“Despite the claims of development by the Chief Minister, Odisha is placed at the bottom in all sectors. The state’s economy condition deteriorated during BJD rule,” the Congress leader and Union minister said.

He added Congress also wants to discuss the deteriorating law and order situation and the high power tariff in the state.