The Athagarh unit of BJP on Thursday ahs urged Governor SC Jamir to sack Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and MlA Ranendra Pratap Swain on charges of protecting the criminals. The party has submitted a memorandum in this regard to the governor through the Sub-Collector.
Hundreds of party workers staged a demonstration here to press for their demand. The leaders alleged that the crime rate has gone up in the last couple of years. They also criticized the local police for inaction. The memorandum mentioned that Khuntukata sarpanch Rajesh Naik was arrested by Kolkata police on charges of committing a number of crimes in West Bengal from here. Rajesh was on the run and hiding here under the protection of the local MlA, hey alleged.
MlA Swain had fielded Rajesh as the sarapanch candidate for KHuntukata and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik campaigned for him during the last Panchayat elections. The party questioned the BJD leadership’s clean image for fielding a candidate having serious criminal backgrounds, the memorandum said.