KENDRAPARA: Baijayant Panda was on Monday given a rousing welcome by his supporters during the former Parliamentarian’s maiden visit to his constituency after joining the BJP.In a show of strength, his supporters took out a bike procession from Tinimuhani Chhak to Baladevjew temple. Local BJP leaders and dissident BJD men also joined the five-km-long procession which culminated at the temple at Ichapur.
Addressing the gathering, Panda said, “Law and order has completely collapsed in Odisha under BJD Government. Crime against women and children is skyrocketing while many ruling party leaders and senior officers are indulging in rampant corruption. Earlier, BJD was an ally of the BJP but later snapped all ties with the saffron party and started opposing good policies of NDA government.”
“Industries in Odisha are being harassed as a result of which the State is unable to attract investment or create jobs,” he said and added BJD is in for troubled times in the State.The BJP will form government at the Centre and State under the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is taking the country in the right direction, said Panda.
Reminding people about the attacks on him while he was BJD MP, Panda said “Some miscreants were trying to stop all development projects in Kendrapara. They attacked me at Mahanga two years back where I had gone to inaugurate a water tank. They attacked me as I refused to pay them percentage.”
He termed Biju Yuva Bahini as Biju Goonda Bahini for creating law and order situation in the State.
Talking about the efforts put in by him for the development of his constituency, the BJP leader said, “I have built 57 water tanks with a capacity of one lakh litre each. This will solve water scarcity problem in the constituency,” said Panda.BJP sources said Panda will contest from Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat to make a hat-trick.
The 55-year-old leader was a Rajya Sabha member of the BJD from 2000 to 2009 in two terms. Later, he was elected to Lok Sabha from Kendrapara Parliamentary constituency twice as a BJD candidate in 2009 and in 2014. Panda resigned from BJD and Lok Sabha seat in June last year following differences with the party and joined BJP in Delhi earlier this month.