BJD, BJP Trade Charges In Odisha

Ruling BJD and opposition BJP today traded charges in marathon meetings held by both parties apparently to discuss strategies for the panchayat elections slated in February, 2017 in Odisha.

While BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik chaired an extended office bearers meet of the party, which is under attack over issues like chit-fund scam, irregularities in ration card distribution, BJP state executive met in the presence of the party's' Odisha in-charge Arun Singh.

Hitting out at BJP-led NDA Government after BJD's meeting, Patnaik accused the Centre of neglecting Odisha and adopting a discriminatory and partisan approach.

"When thousands of crores are released to BJP/NDA ruled states under drought relief, the release to Odisha does not match the genuine requirements of our people," Patnaik said adding the Centre started South East Industrial corridor but it was stopped before entering Odisha.

Fund flow to sensitive KBK region has been slashed and the same is the case with tribal areas of Odisha, he said.

"When elections come, national parties promise the sun and the moon to the people of Odisha and shed crocodile tears.

After coming to power, they forget their promises," he said.

BJP in its 2014 election manifesto had promised Special Category Status, but two years have passed and the Centre has twice rejected the demand, the BJD chief said.

Mr Patnaik said the river Mahanadi is the lifeline of Odisha and plans to build a dam in it in Chhattisgarh is nothing but politics by the NDA government at the Centre.

However, people of Odisha and BJD will not tolerate such injustice being done to the state," the BJD supremo said.

On the other hand, BJP hit back at BJD and accused the Naveen Patnaik government of having failed to fulfil the promises it made to the people.

BJD is levelling false charges against the Centre to hide its own failure, BJP state unit president Basant Panda and Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said.

Describing BJD as 'merchant of false information', Pradhan said the government had earlier informed the Assembly that three lakh houses had been constructed in three financial years, now it claims to have built 10 lakh houses in two years.

He demanded that state government provide block-wise breakup of houses provided to people and also funds provided by the Centre for the purpose.

A BJP statement accused the state government of failing to provide drinking water, power, employment, ration cards and pucca houses to the people despite making promises.

Education, health services and law and order situation are also in bad shape, it claimed.