War of words continued between the BJP and the BJD over the photo of Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on the IOCl campaign vans as senior BJD leader and Minister Damodar Rout on Thursday launched a fresh attack by asking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into spending on the IOCl marketing blitz. Rout alleged that the Union Minister has been using money funded by the IOCl as a BJP programme.
In reply, BJP spokesperson Sajjan Sharma said Rout is feeling insecure in the BJD and it is better he should speak to Chief Minister Naveen Patanik instead of passing comments like this.
Notably, IOCl publicity vans were detained on charge of using the picture of Pradhan with that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as it was against the Supreme Court’s order that photos of Ministers other than the Prime Minister cannot be used in publicity materials.