BJP national president JP Nadda on Friday launched a no-holds-barred attack on the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD Government in Odisha alleging that the entire State administration has been outsourced.
Nadda, who was here to present the report of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Government in the past nine years, said nobody in the State actually knows who is running the administration.
“Many people say an officer is running the show here. It is also heard that nobody listens to BJD MLAs and MPs and only officers are ruling the roost. In fact, the CM has sublet everything to officers,” said Nadda.
He claimed that a powerful officer along with a few other bureaucrats was in fact running the government in the name of CM Naveen Patnaik.
“Do we want such an outsourced government to continue in Odisha? People of Odisha voted for someone while another person rules here. Time has come to ensure that we form government both at the Centre and here in Odisha,” he said.
Though Nadda did not mention the name of the officer who, he said, is ruling the State, his remarks were seen as an indirect reference to the CM’s Private Secretary VK Pandian, who is making whirlwind tours to different districts to interact with people.
Alleging that corruption has become rampant in Odisha, Nadda said the State records the lowest per capita income while farmers’ income has dipped abysmally low. Besides, the “exploitation” of women is also high in the State.
He also charged that 50% commission is being realised from contractors while the remaining 50% is utilised on the ground.
“Naveenbabu had here announced to provide cold storage and irrigation facilities for 35% land in each block. Has this target been achieved? Changing names or hijacking Central schemes will no longer help," he said.
Nadda said 72 lakh Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) houses were sanctioned for Odisha. The process for completion of 29 lakh houses has started here.
“There is corruption and the beneficiaries are neglected and the ineligible ones are getting houses. I will urge the Centre to order a probe so that the truth comes out. Those eligible get houses and those indulging in corruption will be sent to jail,” said Nadda.
He also condemned the State Government for not implementing the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat healthcare scheme.