BHUBANESWAR: Days after resigning from the BJP and joining BJD, senior leader Lekhashree Samantsinghar on Tuesday came down heavily on the state leaders of the saffron party accusing them of keeping the central leadership in the dark.
Alleging that the BJP leaders of the state are manipulating the central leaders of the party regarding the political situation in the state, affairs of the state unit and the ability of the workers, she stated they are running a ‘Jagirdari system’.
Stating that the state BJP has no road map for the ensuing elections, Lekhashree said the party has suffered and become directionless since Manmohan Samal took over its reins. “The party stands divided today,” she added. She said there is no place for a hard-working worker like her, who wanted the party to progress along with Odisha. “There was no scope for me to work in the BJP and serve the people of the state, that is why I decided to quit the party,” she said.
Praising Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, she said he had been working for development and ‘asmita’ (pride) of Odisha for the past 25 years. “I have criticised the BJD government in the past as a BJP member and its spokesperson as per the decision taken the state leadership. And I will continue to speak and work for people of Odisha having joined the development bandwagon,” she added.