‘Development of party its main agenda’: Odisha LoP Naveen Patnaik targets BJP govt

Bhubaneswar, Oct 14 (IANS) Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday targeted the BJP-led Odisha government, alleging that the previous BJD government had prioritised the development of Odisha, while the present government was concerned only with the development of the ruling party.

The BJD supremo made the remarks while addressing a gathering during the Jana Samparka Padyatra organised by the regional party in the Bhubaneswar Central Assembly constituency on Tuesday.

Addressing the gathering during the programme, LoP Patnaik said, “During the BJD government, Odisha’s development was our number one agenda, but under this double-engine government, their party’s development is their main agenda, not Odisha’s.”

Patnaik further stated that people from all sections of society were facing difficulties under the present government. Farmers, women, elderly people, the poor and the middle class were all suffering, while the future of Gen Z was uncertain, he alleged.

“Prices of essential commodities were rising continuously, causing hardship to people, but the government remained indifferent to their problems,” Patnaik alleged.

Taking a dig at the state government, he said Odisha under the current BJP-led government is ranked number one in the country in terms of incompetence. Patnaik urged party workers to stay connected with the people and expose what he described as the failures of the state government. He advised the party workers to take the failures of the double-engine government to every household and create awareness among the people.

Former minister Ashok Panda, MLAs Sushant Rout and Ananta Narayan Jena, Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das and Manmath Routray also addressed the gathering and strongly criticised the state government. MP Shubhashish Khuntia and Begunia MLA Pradip Sahu were among those present. Local corporator Bharat Lenka delivered the vote of thanks. The programme also witnessed a large gathering of people.

It is worth noting that the public outreach march by BJD, which began on October 2 on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, will continue until November 2.

–IANS

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