Bhubaneswar: Former Odisha Congress working president and Jharsuguda MLA Naba Kishore Das Thursday joined the BJD at a function at Jharsuguda in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Jharsuguda Zilla Parishad chairman and chairpersons of five blocks also joined the BJD along with Das.
Das had resigned from the primary membership of Congress and the post of working president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) January 16. He was, however, expelled for indulging in anti-party activities by party’s PCC president Niranjan Patnaik.
Welcoming Das into the party fold, the Chief Minister said Das is a good organiser and his joining BJD will further strengthen the party.
During his one-day visit to Jharsuguda, Patnaik inaugurated and dedicated several projects worth more than Rs 600 crore.
Patnaik laid the foundation stone for the Rs 145-crore Cancer Care Hospital, four mega water supply projects in Jharsuguda, Sadar, Kolbira, Kirmira and Laikera block worth Rs 388 crore.
He also laid the foundation stone for a railway bridge at Choukipada, Nidan Kendra and an irrigation project.
Six lift irrigation projects in Jharsuguda and Lakhanpur block worth Rs 32 lakh, two grid stations in Jharsuguda and Kirimira blocks were also inaugurated by the Chief Minister.
Patnaik also distributed social security benefits, assistance to construction workers and land pattas and incentives to women self help groups.
Speaking at the function, the CM slammed the Union government for neglecting the state and said it would not be tolerated any more.
He said the demand for the revision of coal royalty was not heeded. The Centre, Patnaik alleged, was taking crores of revenue as tax from the state and giving pollution to the state.
He said the Union government inaugurated the airport at Jharsuguda with much fan fare but the operation of flights has not yet been started, he remarked.