Bhubaneswar: Seven months after the 2019 general elections, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and senior leaders Biju Janata Dal (BJD) seem to have decided raise their voice against the Modi government at the Centre for the first time.
This was apparent when all BJD leaders openly criticised the Centre at the party’s executive body meeting here Sunday.
Earlier, the BJD had been cribbing about the financial neglect of the Centre towards the state, but since the last elections, the party had completely fallen silent against the Modi government. People perceived such cryptic silence of the BJD against the Centre was fallout of a secret understanding between the two parties.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik first broke his silence at the executive body meeting of the Biju Yuba Janata Dal recently.
Lancnhing a scathing attack on the BJP, Patnaik said that the leaders of the national party in the state are dumb, as they have been sidelining the interests of the state. Their only aim is to keep the central leaders in good humour so as to grab ministries and positions, he said, adding, they have failed in raising their voice in the state’ interests.
Such a change in the Chief Minister’s stand against the Centre signaled that the party will go to the people against the Centre.
Speaking at the executive committee meeting, senior BJD leader Prasanna Acharya said that some parties have pointed their fingers at the BJD’s relevance at the present time. “Many have raised questions about the future of the BJD, but the party will gain the confidence of the people in future too and will form the government,” he asserted.
Puri MP Pinaki Mishra pointed out that a big survey agency has placed Odisha at the fifth slot for Covid-19 management, while Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh have failed to fare well in pandemic management.
“People know which party is ruling these states. The Centre is neglecting the implementation of the Swaminathan Committee report, special category state status and special package,” the Puri MP alleged.
BJD leader Pramila Mallick said that Odisha Chief Minister is number one in the Covid management. “When people of Odisha were left jobless in other states due to lockdown and were stranded, the Chief Minister made arrangements to bring them back,” she added.
She said that the grassroots workers should work to apprise people about the Central neglect towards the state. Opposition parties will not be allowed to win a single seat in civic body polls, she added.
Senior BJD leader Kishore Mohanty said that the treasury of Odisha was empty when the regional party came to power for the first time in 2000. But, the state had a surplus Budget under the BJD rule in 2008, he added.
Speaking at the meet, Kalikesh Singh Deo said that a political party is collecting members through missed calls but BJD does not follow that method.
BJD general secretary (headquarters) Sanjay Das Burma said, “A separate state for Odia people was created in 1936. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has upheld the pride of Odisha as envisaged Madhu Babu. Biju Babu had said that Odisha cannot be counted as a poor state as it has huge mineral resources and 482 km long coast. Odisha can be developed by using its mineral resources. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has fulfilled Biju Babu’s dream.”
Das Burma claimed that the state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is trying to improve the condition of poor people though 5T and Mo Sarkar initiative. “The Prime Minister should give equal importance to all states in the country. But, the Centre has been neglecting Odisha. Despite this, the state government is implementing welfare schemes. The Prime Minister did not allot time to us for discussing issues related to farm sector,” he said.
Addressing the meet, BJD general secretary (organisation) Pranab Prakash Das said, “We should do our duty properly. We should not do anything which may harm the image of the Chief Minister. We all should work hard to take the developmental work of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to each household.”
