Veteran Odisha politician, former Union Minister Srikant Jena back in Cong fold

Priya Ranjan Swain Published On : Mar 6, 2024 at 6:00 PM

Bhubaneswar: Veteran politician from Odisha and former Union Minister Srikant Jena today rejoined the Congress party at its headquarters in New Delhi.

Jena returned to the Congress in the presence of All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Odisha, Ajoy Kumar, and other senior leaders of the party.

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“I had parted ways with the Congress party over some issues. I recently met AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and other senior leaders of the party. All issues have been sorted out. I am back in Congress fold and ready to fight the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Odisha,” Jena said.

Jena claimed that the BJD and BJP are in talks for a coalition in Odisha ahead of the upcoming simultaneous elections.

“The BJD and BJP had together ruled Odisha for almost nine years since 2000. They broke the alliance in 2009 but were in tacit understanding since then. Now, they are planning for an alliance in Odisha,” Jena said.

The former Union Minister alleged that a vast section of the population in Odisha has been neglected by the ruling BJD.

“The share of OBC, SC and ST is 94 per cent in Odisha’s population. But, they have no say in the administration and political system. So, the concept of social justice is absent in the state,” he alleged.

Jena also raked up the multi-crore mining scam in Odisha. “The MB Shah Commission had pointed out that more than Rs 2 lakh crore have been looted in only one pocket of Odisha as part of the mining scam. But, no action has been taken in this connection. The Congress party will raise all these issues before people,” he said.