Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo Naveen Patnaik is confident that his party will sweep the Lok Sabha polls in the State by winning all 21 seats.
“The BJD will win 21 Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming elections and there will be no place for other political parties in the State,” asserted Patnaik during his first election campaign rally in Nayagarh district on Sunday.
He said the BJD would have a “key role” in formation of the next Government at the Centre as no national party would get a majority.
Hitting out at the BJP for the Centre’s negligence and step-motherly attitude towards Odisha over several key issues, Patnaik alleged that the Centre has ignored the State’s interest in the Mahanadi water sharing dispute and in case of the Andhra Pradesh Polavaram irrigation project.
“The Centre supported Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in the Polavaram and Mahanadi cases, respectively, sidelining the interests of Odisha,” said he, adding that Odisha has also remained neglected by the Centre in the banking and telecommunication sectors.
Patnaik remarked that while heads of political parties control everything when coming to power, the 4.5 crore people of Odisha hold the remote control of the State’s administration and are the high command in the State.
He also targeted the Centre on the Special Category State issue. “We have been fighting for Special State Category to Odisha. It was promised by the BJP during the 2014 elections. After forming Government at Centre, the party forgot it. Is not it the Centre’s negligence?” he asked.
Patnaik claimed that the BJD has given importance to women in distribution of tickets for the upcoming polls. “I have nominated Pramila Bisoi from Mission Shakti as the candidature for Aska Lok Sabha seat,” he said, asking the gathering with his style “Apana Mane Khusi ta?…Mu bi bahut khusi.”
“The Biju Janata Dal is the only party in India that has given 33% reservation to women for Lok Sabha polls,” he pointed out.
He said his Government has provided loan to women at zero-per cent interest under the Mission Shakti programme as part of women empowerment.
Speaking about the KALIA scheme, Patnaik said lakhs of farmers have been benefited under this most popular programme for the agriculture sector.