BHUBANESWAR: Even as the State is gripped by cold wave conditions, the political atmosphere remains quite warmed up by an intense firing of ‘questions’ across the spectrum. The trend was started this season by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the State on December 24 in a bid to expose the failures of Odisha Government. He refrained from launching a frontal attack on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik or the ruling outfit BJD but was relentless in his attack on the State Government.
The counter-attack was equally sharp and stinging. Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik in his address at the 21st Foundation Day celebrations of BJD listed nine achievements (meaning failures) of the Centre and said, Odisha needs answers on these issues. The Congress too was not one to be left behind. With enthusiasm level seemingly on the rise after the recent victory in three states, the party hopped in and hurled several questions at the BJD supremo on lack of development and growing crime against women in Odisha.
Though talking about a development agenda, the three main contenders in Odisha have actually launched a negative attack on opponents as there is a general perception that many of the promises made by the parties in the 2014 elections have not been fulfilled. Observers, however, maintain that as the situation is still fluid and political parties are yet to decide on alliances and fronts, most of the leaders are refraining from naming political leaders and parties keeping in view the pre and post-poll possibilities.
The second rung leaders of mainly, the BJD and BJP, have also kept up the momentum by firing questions at their opponents by taking a cue from their leaders.
However, this time there is no restraint. Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan has shot off questions on a daily basis which is countered mostly by the BJD spokespersons Pratap Deb or Sasmit Patra. hough in the midst of a factional fight, president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik has launched a two-pronged attack on BJP and BJD.