The BJP State leadership was on Tuesday embarrassed with the party national president Amit Shah virtually not uttering even a single word against the ruling BJD and its supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who is facing chit fund, mining and land scams. Particularly Shah’s softness towards the BJD was a major jolt to State unit president KV Singh Deo and other senior party leaders Bijay Mohapatra and Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, who often target Naveen Patnaik on issues starting from hike in VAT on petrol and diesel to chit fund scam.
Shah, who heard their anti-Naveen speeches patiently, did not even speak on the burning chit fund issue during his 30-minute speech apparently leaving other State leaders, including Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, present on the stage crestfallen.
Singh Deo, who during his speech had claimed that Naveen Patnaik would have sleepless nights after listening to Amit Shah at the Mahasangram rally, seemed to have lost his face after Shah’s address. Singh Deo, who had also earlier claimed that Patnaik would be in the Tihar Jail for his involvement in the mining, coal and chit fund scams, Shah remained extremely squeamish about taking on the BJD supremo on the issue of corruption or any issue for that matter.
Similarly, Bijay Mohapatra, who also during his speech stated that the ‘Mahasangram’ against the BJD Government would begin in the hands of Amit Shah, also appeared embarrassed. Ironically, Naveen Patnaik has done everything possible to give the BJP a bad name, branding it “communal” and accusing it of showing negligence towards Odisha.