Rairakhol: Intensifying the election campaign for the BJP candidates ahead of 3rd phase of twin polls in Odisha, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh leveled allegations against the Biju Janata Dal over missing ancient manuscripts.

Addressing a public meeting at Rairakhol in Sambalpur district, the senior BJP leader raised the missing Odia manuscripts as well as the missing key of Puri Srimandir Ratna Bhandar.

"Several things related to Odia culture have been destroyed in past years during Congress and BJD regimes in Odisha. Many ancient Odia manuscripts and thousands of art and culture are now missing. Even the key of Ratna Bhandar of Lord Jagannath went missing by the BJD Government," Rajnath alleged.

He promised that the BJP would order a probe into the missing key of Ratna Bhandar if the party formed the government in Odisha.

Hitting out at the previous government Congress and the present government BJD, he said that Odisha did not reach the height of development in past 75 years.

"The Congress ruled Odisha for 50 years and the BJD for 25 years. However, the state remained far away off inclusive development. People of Odisha are still deprived of availing facilities under many central schemes launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. If the BJP is voted to power here, the central schemes that have not been implemented here by the BJD government will be implemented. The poor beneficiaries will get free treatment upto Rs 5 lakh under Ayusman Bharat Yojana. The poor people will avail pucca houses under PM Awas Yojana within 2 years. Toilets will be built for people who do not have the facility yet at their houses. All will have piped water at their houses," he stressed, appealing to people to bless the BJP's MP candidate for Sambalpur Lok Sabha Dharmendra Pradhan and Rairakhol MLA candidate Debendra Mohapatra in the elections.