BHUBANESWAR: The Opposition BJP and Congress on Friday targeted Housing and Urban Development Minister Pratap Jena and demanded his resignation over the Mahanga double murders.
Demanding immediate removal of Jena, Youth Congress activists took out a bike rally from Congress Bhawan and marched to gherao the Minister’s official residence at Forest Park here. They were, however, prevented by police near Sishu Bhawan square.
Alleging that the Minister was the chief conspirator in the double murder case, president of Bhubaneswar District Youth Congress Ranjit Patra demanded that he should be immediately arrested and removed from the Cabinet.
Criticising Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his inaction, Patra alleged that he is protecting Jena. He alleged that the two BJP leaders were killed for exposing the huge corruption in the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in Mahanga. Main accused Prafulla Biswal also died under mysterious circumstances in a road accident at Tangi, he said.
Meanwhile, the BJP on Friday stepped up its demand for removal of the Minister. Bhubaneswar district president Babu Singh said the BJP will gherao Assembly on Saturday over the demand and large-scale irregularities in the implementation of PMAY.
State BJP president Sameer Mohanty joined a padayatra led by party leader from Mahanga Sarada Pradhan at Rasulgarh square here. The padayatra started from Mahanga on March 17 to press for the demands. However, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty refuted the allegations.