I made Baijayant MP, he betrayed me and Kendrapara voters: Odisha CM

Priya Ranjan Swain Published On : May 27, 2024 at 9:32 PM

Bhubaneswar: BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today campaigned for the ruling party in Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur ahead of the last phase Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Odisha.

The Chief Minister launched scathing attack on BJP nominee Baijayant Panda while addressing a public meeting under Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency.

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Panda had been elected to the Lok Sabha from Kendrapara seat twice on BJD tickets in 2009 and 2014. He, however, left the BJD and joined the BJP ahead of the 2019 Parliamentary elections in the country.

“I had made Panda an MP but he betrayed me and the people of Kendrapara. He had served his own interests and that of his company during his tenure as a Parliamentarian,” said the Chief Minister.

The BJD supremo also lambasted the Opposition parties for spreading ‘lies and misinformation’ among the voters.

Patnaik highlighted various schemes of the BJD government including Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), Mission Shakti, Mamata, LAccMI, KALIA, Madhu Babu Pension Yojana and scholarship for students while urging people to vote for the ruling party in the twin polls.

He talked about the Jagannath temple heritage corridor project in Puri while seeking people’s support.

Patnaik also highlighted the free electricity promise made by the BJD in its poll manifesto.

“There will be no electricity tariff from this July. The BJD government will provide free electricity to people in its sixth term,” he said.

Speaking at the meeting, 5T chairman and Patnaik’s trusted aide, VK Pandian, too criticized the BJP nominee for Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat. “Panda had spread lies about the Chief Minister’s health in the past. Panda, as an MP, was working for the benefit of his company,” Pandian said.

The 5T chairman claimed that the Chief Minister is committed to the overall development of Kendrapara. “Patnaik was instrumental in bringing big investment projects to Kendrapara,” he said.

Speaking at public meetings in Jagatsinghpur, Pandian urged the voters to vote for the BJD and make Patnaik as the Chief Minister of Odisha for the sixth time in a row.

“The BJP leaders are using distasteful languages towards our Chief Minister. You all should give befitting reply to them by casting your votes in support of the BJD candidates in the polls,” Pandian said.