Saturday Naveen Patnaik the Chief Minister has claimed that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will not win Odisha in next 10 years and BJP will return to power for the sixth consecutive time after assembly polls.
He was reacting to the statement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an election meeting earlier in the day where he had said that swearing-in ceremony of “the BJP Chief Minister” would be held at Bhubaneswar on June 10th.
“There is nothing going to happen on June 10. Forget about June 10. The BJP cannot win over the people within a decade,” affirmed the CM adding that BJP would form its six government terms in Odisha. He then implored as why was Biju Patnaik not considered for “Bharat Ratna”.
Stating that this honor has been bestowed on quite a number of individuals recently by Center, he argued that people of Odisha haven’t forgotten what PM Modi and his party promised them in 2014 and 2019 as well as their past experience with PPP government which lasted for only two dozen years.
“Do you remember your promises during elections? You promised reducing price of essential commodities, creating employment opportunities for twenty million people, lowering petrol, diesel and LPG prices, giving mobile connectivity in remote areas,” he said. He also added that it is futile remembering Odisha only during election.
Patnaik pointed out that Rs 1,000 crore has been given by Centre for promotion of Sanskrit but no funds have come forth from any quarter including Central Government though Odia is a classical language. “I have offered recognition to classical music like odissi but you twice rejected them,” he said.
Further Patnaik alleged that Prime Minister too forgot our farmers and his promise about escalating MSP twofold. “Never forget people of Odisha while constructing coastal highway; by the way you forgot about this project,” he emphasized.
According to Patnaik, coal is Odisha’s natural resource and “the Prime Minister has also forgotten to revise the royalty for 10 years.” Modi indirectly referred to BJD leader VK Pandian’s claim that he was owned by Patnaik A natural heir to great values, he said, “I am here to invite you to the swearing-in ceremony of the BJP Chief Minister on June 10 in Bhubaneswar. Odisha will start from May 13 , voting for its 21 Lok Sabha seats and the 147-member Assembly will be held simultaneously in four phases.
