BHUBANESWAR/BARIPADA/JAJPUR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday said President Draupadi Murmu is his sister and BJD has always respected her.
Addressing public meetings at Baripada and Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district, the chief minister said BJD had supported Murmu in the Presidential election as she is the daughter of the soil. Naveen also paid tributes to Pandit Raghunath Murmu and urged people to vote for ‘Jodi Sankha’.
In a marathon campaign for BJD candidates on the day at Balasore, the chief minister came down on Opposition political parties for spreading lies urging people to not believe them. He asked people whether BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi has done any development work for the constituency to which people responded with a loud ‘no’. He said Opposition parties never think of development, but shed crocodile tears.
Addressing the meeting at Rairangpur and Baripada, BJD leader VK Pandian said the state government has sanctioned Rs 13 crore for development of Pt Raghunath Murmu’s birthplace. Besides, the state government has also established a medical college at Baripada in Murmu’s name and initiated several other development work in the constituency, he added.
Referring to the BJD manifesto, Pandian said industrial clusters will be developed in Baripada and Balasore. Hundreds of jobs will be created in the two towns. Pandian urged voters to bless the BJD candidates and advised party leaders and workers to work hard like they had during zilla parishad elections.
The chief minister also addressed a public meeting at Korei in Jajpur district and urged people to vote for BJD’s MP and MLA candidates in the elections.
On the occasion, Pandian claimed Naveen will take oath as the chief minister of Odisha for the sixth consecutive time on June 9. On that very day, the chief minister will ratify three major decisions for people of the state. Firstly, there will be free electricity for the people. The benefits of Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) will be extended to all citizens of Odisha. Lastly, pension will be provided to the Mission Shakti women of the state.