Even as the election process for the municipal elections is on, an all-party meeting was held at Jajpur Road on Sunday where leaders of the leading political parties spoke out their minds about development of the Vyasangar Municipality.
Organised by the Jajpur Road Press Club, the meeting was attended by leaders Prafulla Chandra Ghadai (BJD), Rama Chandra Khuntia (Congress), Sanchita Mohanty (BJP) and Priti Ranjan Ghadai (BJD). BJD vice-president Prafulla Ghadai said Vyasanagar has improved a lot during the Naveen Patnaik regime. “Vyasanagar is now at par with Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Kolkata. The price of land here is almost similar to those three cities. Good roads, sanitation and lighting systems have been put in place,” he claimed.
Rajya Sabha member Khunita, however, differed with Ghadai, saying proper development still eludes the municipality. “Whatever development has taken place in Vyasanagar was started by the Congress Government. The BJD has just done the whitewashing. Sub-standard construction works has made travel on the streets a nightmare. Roads are filled with potholes. Good drinking water is not sufficiently available here,” Khuntia said.
Claiming that the Congress would form the council this time, Khuntia said people are disenchanted with the BJD Government because of large-scale corruption and scandals. Former local MlA Sanchita Mohanty blamed both BJD and Congress for the current sorry state of affairs in Vyasanagar. “look at Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. The two cities wear bridal look because of proper execution of works. However, this town, which should have advanced much more than them, is battling with a number of problems,” she said.
Stating that the BJP would perform better than its rivals in the elections, Mohanty said her party would concentrate on an all-round development of the town. Present local MlA Priti Ranjan Ghadai claimed that the Vyasangar Municipality has got a complete change of face because of the persistent development works undertaken by the BJD Government. “Ask people of the town and they will better explain how it has developed on all fronts,” he said.
Among others who addressed the meeting included incumbent Vyasangar Municipality Chairperson Bandita Parida, CPI(M) leader Prafulla Kumar Nayak and SUCI district secretary Suresh Pradhan and senior journalist Karamchand laha. Meanwhile, BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Monday suspended the BJD candidate for Ward-9 of Vyasangar Municipality Braja Kishore Rout for indulging in anti-party activity.