Bhubaneswar: The Union minister for petroleum and natural gas, Dharmendra Pradhan, is treating the inauguration of the IOCL refinery project at Paradip as a BJP affair, senior BJD leader and excise minister Damodar Rout alleged Thursday.
“Pradhan is converting the Prime Minister’s official programme into a BJP affair. Narendra Modi is coming for the inauguration of IOCL refinery. However, the way the BJP is behaving is unfortunate,” Rout said here.
The state government is taking all steps to ensure that the Prime Minister’s visit to the state is peaceful, he said. “As he is a state guest, we will welcome him to the state and Paradip. Thousands of people in Paradip, which I represent, will greet him. However, the way BJP is behaving is unfortunate,” said Rout.
“As it is a government programme, the opportunity to welcome the Prime Minister should be given to the local MLA and the IOCL chief executive should offer the vote thanks in the meeting. However, they (BJP) have given the charge to Pradhan and Jual Oram (Union tribal affairs minister),” the BJD leader pointed out.
Rout also accused IOCL of spending crores for enhancing Pradhan’s image and demanded a CBI probe into the misuse of the funds. Rout also dared Pradhan to contest from Paradip Assembly seat.
The BJP has appointed a local contractor to assemble people for the event, but they will not be successful as they do not have a good following in the locality, Rout said.
Rout said he along with other leaders of the party in Paradip would welcome Modi.
BJP spokesperson Sajjan Sharma negated Rout’s charge. “It is a reflection of Rout’s helplessness. He should meet Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to express his helplessness,” Sharma said.
Meanwhile, the Congress is also trying to gain political mileage from the inauguration of the mega industrial project. Senior Congress leader Taraprasad Bahinipati said the entire project was the result of the efforts of the UPA government and alleged that the BJD and BJP are in a race to get maximum mileage from it. PNN
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