NAYAGARH/NIMAPARA: CHIEF Minister Naveen Patnaik’s visit to Nayagarh district began on a sour note on Tuesday with BJP activists waving black flags and Congress workers showing party flags.
As the Chief Minister began his speech, which was not audible, BJP activists barged into the venue and showed black flags. Soon after, Congressmen waved party flags creating a flutter in the gathering. They were whisked away by police. Naveen left the stage in a hurry and drove to Circuit House.
After arriving at the Police Training School (PTS) ground in a helicopter around 1.30 pm, Naveen symbolically inaugurated 33/11 KV sub-station at Balugaon, Nayagarh; Dahuka bridge and Lunijhara bridge at Khandapada Road, multipurpose cyclone centre at Badapandusar and 100-bed Mother Child Hospital on District Headquarters Hospital campus.
He was accompanied by MP Pinaki Mishra, Panchayati Raj Minister Arun Kumar Sahu, Ranpur MLA Rabi Mohapatra, Daspalla MLA Purna Chandra Nayak and Collector Arindam Dakua.
The Chief Minister distributed bicycles among Regional Construction Workers Sangha, Puri, Khurda and Nayagarh and mobile phones to farmers. Zilla Parishad president, Nayagarh block chairman and Nayagarh NAC chairman were present.
In order to prevent any untoward incident, 25 platoons of police force were deployed. The forces include three ASPs, 10 DSPs and 80 other police officers. Before reaching here, Naveen held public meetings at Ranpur and Kantilo where he inaugurated several projects and laid foundations for developmental projects. He proceeded to Nimapara from here.
On Monday night, apprehending trouble, police arrested BJP Yuva Morcha president Santosh Pradhan and secretary Sukant Mohapatra, District Congress Committee vice-president Hussein Khan and Town Congress president Prabhat Sarangi. At Nimapara, the Chief Minister inaugurated 31 projects worth `91 lakh. Addressing a gathering, he emphasised on agriculture and said establishment of agro and food processing units in Odisha have enhanced the employment scenario and brought about a paradigm change in the quality of life of people.
Local MLA and Chairman of Puri District Planning Board Samir Ranjan Dash, MP Kulamani Samal, Kakatpur MLA Surendra Sethi, Zilla Parishad member PK Khatoi and NAC chairman Sanatan Pradhan were present.
Police detained Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary and spokesperson Biswaranjan Mohanty along with 200 workers at Gop police station and BJP Mahila Morcha State president Pravati Parida with workers at Konark police station to avoid any untoward situation at the meeting, SDPO Arun Kumar Jena said.
At Khandapara, MLA Anubhav Patnaik said developmental projects worth `45 crore have been started in the constituency as per the instruction of the Chief Minister. Among others, Collector Arindam Dakua was present.