The BJP would organise a massive Samavesh (rally) and gherao the State Assembly here on November 25 to draw people’s attention to the “failures” of the BJD Government ahead of the panchayat elections to be held in February 2017.
This was decided at the party’s two-day executive body meeting that concluded here on Tuesday. Such Samaveshs would also be organised in 19 more organisational districts of the party to reach out to people highlighting the welfare programmes of the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre and at the same time to sensitise people about the failure of the BJD Government in the health, education and other basic sectors.
Over five lakh people would gather at the Samavesh to raise voice against the State Government, said Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after the executive meeting.
“The State Government has failed to fulfil the basic needs of people during its 17 years of rule. It has done little for development of the agriculture sector on which more than 70 per cent people are dependent. As many as 13,971 teachers’ posts in high schools and 1,016 doctors’ posts are lying vacant for long. A whopping 41 per cent of households have not been connected with electricity. As many as 15,247 villages have no all-weather roads. Women are not safe and the law and order situation is worsening by the day,” alleged leaders at the meeting
The party severely slammed the State Government for accusing the Central Government of neglecting Odisha.
“The State Government has made a Rs 94,000-crore Annual Budget for the current year. Of this, the State has Rs 33,000 crore as its own revenue, which is less than the amount of Rs 38,000 crore to be spent towards salary and pension of Government employees. Hence, it is fully dependent on Central funds to undertake development activities in the State. The State’s allegation of Central negligence is totally untrue,” said the party.
The party also slammed the State’s main opposition party Congress for not playing its role properly for the interest of Odisha.
The saffron party reassured the people of the State that the flow of water in the Mahanadi would not be affected during the non-monsoon period.
The executive meeting held under chairmanship of State president Basanta Panda was attended by two Union Ministers, Jual Oram and Dharmendra Pradhan, party national general secretary and Odisha in-chage Arun Singh and national co-organiser Saudan Singh, BJP legislature Party leader KV Singh Deo, former Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang and senior leader like Biswabhusan Harichandan, Manmohan Samal, Pratap Sarangi, State general secretary (organisation) Sharada Prasad Satpathy and general secretary Ranjan Patel.