Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik on Tuesday alleged that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are having a secret pact and are indifferent to the issues concerning the people of Odisha.
He accused Modi and Patnaik of trying to fool the people by giving false assurances.
Patnaik said Modi’s visit to the State has made the political scenario clear, proving that the BJP and the BJD have a secret pact by being anti-farmer.
“Naveenbabu had declared 75 per cent irrigation in each block. Has it been done even in a single block out of the 314 in the State? He thinks people of Odisha are fools. They are trying to fool people by taking the name of Lord Jagannath. The doubt about a nexus between the BJP and the BJD has been proved true,” said Patnaik.
In response to Patnaik’s allegation of secret pact, BJD spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb said his party has always maintained equidistance from both the BJP and the Congress. “We are accountable to people of Odisha because they have reposed faith on us for four consecutive times and we don’t need to answer the BJP or the Congress,” he said.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in reaction to the OPCC president’s allegation on a nexus between the BJP and BJD, said everyone knows who has a nexus with whom.
“The PM had clearly questioned the State Government on eight points. Everyone knows who is the demon of corruption here. Several people are in jail for their involvement in chit fund scam. Whose MLAs and MPs are behind bars? Interrogation of whose Ministers are on for their alleged involvement in the scam? Who set the platform to loot the minerals in Odisha? Who are the mines mafia? Who are taking percentage (PC) and who are suffering due to such a culture? All are aware about these questions and people of Odisha would answer these at appropriate time.”