While the BJP is ruling at the Centre, the BJD is in power in Odisha. The two political parties have huge black money which would be used to get votes in the ensuing panchayat elections, alleged Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Prasad Harichandan here on Wednesday.
Speaking on the occasion of the 131st foundation day of the Congress, Prasad said, “The BJP and the BJD are planning to distribute black money among people to get maximum votes in the panchayat polls. However, the people of the State will take a remarkable call in the polls as they are aware of the plans of both BJP and BJD.”
“The Congress has no money power. What it only has is a strong moral determination. The brotherhood between the BJP and the BJD is now a clear picture. The people of the State are left with only one option which is the Congress,” Prasad stated.
“The Congress will give more emphasis on youths, women, dalits and tribals in the ensuing polls,” he said.
Meanwhile, both BJP and BJD criticised the PCC president’s statements.
BJP spokesperson Sajjan Sharma said, “Once, the Congress had monetary power and it was ruling at the Centre. But why the people rejected itIJ”
“One thing is true. There are no BJP-BJD ties. However, there is a close nexus between the BJD and the Congress which is clear from Congress MlA Jayadev Jena’s remark. The one and only political party protesting against black money is BJP,” Sharma stated.
BJD spokesperson Sameer Das said, “The Congress is accepting defeat before the panchayat polls on a pretext of black money. The people of the state have already rejected the Congress.”
“Now, the Congress is a divided camp. Neither they have any plans to reach out to people nor have they any determination,” Das remarked.
Refuting Sharma’s statement over a BJD-Congress link, Das said, “The BJP is ruling at the Centre. The Income Tax Department is under the BJP. If the BJP claims that the BJD has black money then why it has failed in tracing out the black money from the BJDIJ” he questioned.