BHUBANESWAR/NUAPADA: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Thursday accused the Opposition BJD and Congress of keeping Odisha underdeveloped and looting the state while being in power.
Campaigning for Jay Dholakia, the BJP candidate for the upcoming Nuapada bypoll, during an election rally at the district’s Panchampur village bordering Chhattisgarh, Sai said though Congress was in power in Odisha for almost 50 years and the BJD ruled for 24 years, the two parties did nothing for the development of the state but only looted it which is why people have rejected them.
Despite that, they still dare to talk about the lack of progress in Nuapada district, he added. “You have seen the governance of the two parties and now you see how the BJP government works.
From day one, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dedicated himself for the poor and the downtrodden. All programmes of the central government under his leadership are aimed at the welfare of the people especially the poor. You have now seen the performance of the BJP government in Odisha and you have to make a choice,” Sai said.
He added that only a poor can understand the pain of another poor. “As Modi ji comes from a poor family, he understands the needs of the common people and has fulfilled the basic requirements like house, toilet, drinking water, electricity and ration in the last 11 years.
For inclusive and holistic development of the marginalised, the prime minister has given due respect to the tribals by elevating an Odia Adivasi daughter Draupadi Murmu to the highest post of President of India,” Sai stated.
Coming down on dynastic politics, Sai said the BJP being the largest political party in the world is free from such tradition. “Take me for example. I hail from a poor farmer’s family.
The party gave me chance to be elected to the Assembly thrice, four times to Lok Sabha and made me the party’s state president thrice. In the first term of Modi government, I was made a minister of state for Steel and Mines in his cabinet. Now I am the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. Will it be possible in Congress or BJD?” he asked.
Taking a dig at BJD president Naveen Patnaik, the Chhattisgarh CM said he (Naveen) could not learn Odia even after staying in power for 24 years. “Here is the present Kalahandi MP Malavika Singh.
She is from Himachal Pradesh and got married in Odisha. If she can speak fluent Odia why not Naveen?” he wondered. Stating that Rajendra Dholakia served the BJD till his last breath, Sai remarked, despite that the party did not consider it fit to pay its last respect to the departed soul. “Give Jay a chance, he will bring rapid development of Nuapada,” he appealed.