A day after the BJD lambasted senior BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for favouring the Centre’s Negotiation Committee on the Mahanadi dispute, senior saffron party leader Bijay Mohapatra on Tuesday targeted Pradhan, saying he has been delivering different kinds of statements on the sensitive issue.
“Politicians always focus on consistencies. He (Pradhan) has already given five different kinds of statements on the Mahanadi issue. Hence, I don’t wish to comment on him. He shouldn’t deliver different statements on the same issue and, instead, maintain consistency,” Mohapatra told reporters here.
Mohapatra said, “First, he favoured a joint control board, then he supported a tribunal. later, he stated that Chhattisgarh is doing wrong. Now, he is batting for the Negotiation Committee. It should not happen. One should not give several kinds of statements on a particular issue.”
He reiterated that the Prime Minister, if he wishes, can intervene in the issue and approach the Supreme Court for formation of a tribunal.
Mohapatra also slammed the Odisha Government for its slipshod attitude in taking up the case to the Supreme Court.
“No doubt, the State Government has moved the Supreme Court, but the case is yet to be enlisted for hearing. Hence, the Government should take expeditious measures in this regard,” added Mohapatra.