Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday launched a scathing attack on the BJD and the BJP over their political chemistry.
Attending an ‘Odisha Banchao’ rally organised by the Congress at Lower PMG here, Kharge described the BJP-BJD chemistry as a “love marriage”.
Referring to a statement by Odisha Congress in-charge Ajoy Kumar over the marriage between BJD and BJP, Kharge said, “It’s wrong that Congress solemnised the BJP-BJD marriage. They have already made love marriage and taken vows to ruin Odisha together.”
Addressing the Congress workers during his first visit to Odisha after taking charge as the AICC chief, he took a dig at Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. He said, “Former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik was from Congress. Both Nehru and Patnaik were close friends. The latter believed in Nehru’s ideology. But today’s Patnaik (Naveen) follows the BJP’s ideology. There is a big difference between the then Patnaik and today’s Patnaik.”
He said the Congress is credited for all sorts of development during its rule in Odisha.
“Be it Paradip Port, Rourkela Steel Plant, Mancheswar Railway Workshop, Chilika Indian Naval Academy, Congress has given these to Odisha. With the support of Nehru and Biju Patnaik, these industries were set up in Odisha. What today’s Patnaik is doing? In collaboration with the BJP, he is allowing to loot State properties,” Kharge said.