Blasting both the BJD and the BJP for allegedly being hands in glove on the Mahanadi water dispute issue, the Congress on Friday dared Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to ask his BJD MPs not to cooperate with the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre during passing of Bills in Parliament, particularly in the Rajya Sabha where the NDA lacks a majority.
“If his (Naveen Patnaik’s) intention is clear and you really want halting of construction of barrages upstream the Mahanadi by the BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh Government then let him ask his MPs to vote against the Bills moved by the NDA Government in Parliament, especially in the Rajya Sabha,” said Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Prasad Harichandan at a Press conference here.
Alleging that the BJD and the BJP would be responsible for drying up of the Mahanadi, the PCC chief said the people of Odisha would ultimately suffer in the quarrel between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Also coming down heavily on Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh for terming Odisha as his State’s “elder brother”, Harichandan said, “Actually, Naveen Patnaik is the elder brother and Raman Singh is his younger. If Raman Singh really respects Odisha as the elder brother then he would have stopped the ongoing construction before coming to Odisha.”
He also reiterated the demand for setting up of tribunal to resolve the Mahanadi issue and urged Naveen Patnaik to fight the legal battle in the Supreme Court judiciously.
Harichandan also accused State Election Commissioner (SEC) Rabi Narayan Senapaty of failing to conduct free and fair panchayat elections which are to begin from February 13.
“The ruling BJD is using Collectors, BDOs, tehsildars and police officials as party campaigners. In many cases, the SEC has been sitting idle on complaints against BJD leaders. Police are lodging false cases against Congress candidates,” charged Harichandan.
He said that in Ganjam district, the Sorada and Polsara police are threatening Congress candidates.
“They are even booking our candidates under Section 107 of IPC, thereby keeping them away from poll battle to ensure an easy victory of BJD candidates,” alleged Harichandan.
“I urge the SEC to kindly intervene in the matter at the earliest and ensure a free and fair probe. The Sorada and Polasara issues are not isolated ones. Such undemocratic incidents are happening across the State,” said he.