Starting their three-day long stir against Union Tribal Affairs and Panchayati Raj Minister V Kishore Chandra Deo’s demand to shift the East Coast Railway (ECoR) headquarters to Vishakhapatnam, the ruling BJD on Thursday staged protest at railway stations across the State.
In Bhubaneswar, several senior BJD leaders including Rajya Sabha member Dilip Tirkey, MlAs Ashok Panda, Bhagirathi Badajena and several other leaders took part in a one-hour peaceful agitation along with party workers.
Decrying the Minister’s demand, the leaders termed the move as a conspiracy of the Union Government against the State.
“Why has Odisha to pay a price for the bifurcation of Andhra PradeshIJ The move is just a conspiracy of the Congress-led UPA Government against the State. The BJD will never allow shifting the ECoR headquarters form Bhubaneswar at any cost,” said MlA Panda.
In Cuttack, several party workers led by Cuttack Sadar MlA Kalindi Behera staged a peaceful agitation condemning the Union Minister’s demand. Similarly in Brahmapur, party workers protested the move and warned that the party would intensify agitation. Earlier, ruling BJD had decided to start the one-hour dharna at railway stations across Odisha from Sept 12 to 14 lodging a protest against the Union Minister’s demand.