‘Naveen Patnaik is best CM’, says Congress MLA Jogesh Singh minutes after suspension

Bhubaneswar: Showering praises on BJD President and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik once again minutes after he was suspended from the party, Congress leader and Sundargarh MLA Jogesh Singh said “Naveen Patnaik is the best CM” in India as of now and there is no “doubt” about it.

He even said he wouldn’t stop praising the CM. “I will praise the CM thousand times as he has done a lot of good works in my constituency.”
The MLA was earlier suspended by the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee for “anti-party” activities, an allegation the legislator has outrightly rejected.

Welcoming the party’s decision to suspend him, Singh said “he will resign from the post of MLA soon.”

“Since the people (of Sundergarh) have elected me as their representative, I will take a decision regarding my future course of action after consulting with them,” he replied to a query about his next move.

Also Read: Odisha: Congress MLA Jogesh Singh suspended for anti-party activities

Justifying why he calls Naveen Patnaik as the best CM, Singh said “his (BJD) government has been doing a lot of good and developmental works across the State, and which is why his party is able to continuously remain in power.”

Saying he hasn’t done anything wrong by praising the CM, the suspended Congress leader claimed “central ministers during UPA government had often appreciated and praised Naveen Patnaik for his leadership and good works done by his government in the State.”

Asked whether he had any plans to join the BJD, the Sundargarh MLA said he has not got any “offer” in this regard.

“I will think, consult with my supporters and then only I will be able to decide what to do or not,” Singh, neither accepts nor denies rumours of him joining the BJD, said.

Confidently claiming that his supporters will accept him even without having a party symbol, Singh said “the people of his constituency are his high command as they have elected him as their leader.”

“For me, my homeland comes first and is far more important than my party,” Singh added.

The Congress MLA had earlier refused to attend the meeting of the Congress supremo Rahul Gandhi during his visit to Bhubaneswar on January 25.

Singh who had secured 66,138 votes defeated his nearest candidate Kusum Tete of ruling BJD with a margin of 12,584 votes. There were nine candidates in the fray for the Sundargarh constituency, which is reserved for scheduled tribe (ST) candidates, in the 2014 elections.