Majhi calls BJD a ‘sinking boat’

Nuapada: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, during his campaign for the Nuapada by-poll on Saturday, wooed tribal voters, targeted Opposition BJD president Naveen Patnaik and called the former chief minister’s party a “sinking boat.” Tribals constitute over 35 per cent of Nuapada’s over 2.53 lakh voters.

Majhi went to Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary, offered prayer before their presiding deity goddess Suna Dei, had lunch with a tribal family and said he could understand the plight of people living in hills. “As a tribal, I can understand their problems. The tribal families, even after 78 years of Independence, are deprived of basic facilities like drinking water, electricity and roads in their villages. I will ensure all such facilities,” Majhi told a gathering.

Claiming that he is the first Chief Minister of Odisha who visited the tribals in Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary, Majhi blamed Patnaik for their plight. “What has Naveen babu done for you during his 24 years of governance? He does not understand your language. Tribals cannot speak in Hindi or English,” Majhi said. The Chief Minister assured the people that Sunabeda will witness development with establishment of a college and upgradation of the existing government hospital in the region.

After visiting Sunabeda area, Majhi led a four-hour long roadshow from Khariar Road to Nuapada from 4 pm to give a push to the BJP’s campaign before it ends on Sunday. Addressing a public meeting at Nuapada, he claimed that the BJD has no future in Odisha’s politics.

“Will you vote for a party which is a sinking boat? The leaders of BJD have been quitting the party one by one, including Jay Dholakia. The leaders in BJD do not get due respect, because of which they are quitting the party,” Majhi said.

Jay Dholakia, son of BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia whose death necessitated this by-poll, was tipped to be the candidate of the regional outfit. He, however, joined the BJP, leaving the BJD red-faced.

Majhi described the BJP candidate as the “suputra” (good son) of Rajendra Dholakia. Earlier, BJD women leaders had dubbed Jay as the “kuputra” (bad son) of the deceased MLA and accused him of getting sold to BJP.

Referring to Patnaik’s close aide V K Pandian, Majhi claimed that elected people’s representatives prepared stage multiple times for the bureaucrat-turned-politician and felt humiliated. To buttress his allegation that Opposition party leaders do not get respect from the party, Majhi claimed that Snehangini Chhuria, the BJD nominee, was not found during Patnaik’s roadshow on Friday. She was in another vehicle and not on the bus from which the party president waved to people, Majhi claimed. Majhi appealed to people to form a ‘Triple Engine’ – the BJP government at the Centre, in the State and the local MLA.