NUAPADA: The Congress on Thursday held a massive public meeting at Sahipala and urged people to unite against ‘anti-people politics’ of the BJP.
The Congress leaders said the upcoming by-election is not merely a contest among candidates but a mandate on the future of democracy, secularism and constitutional values in Odisha. They urged people to vote decisively to defeat the BJP’s divisive and anti-people agenda.
They alleged that during the 16-month rule of the BJP government in Odisha, the state has witnessed an alarming rise in communal violence, social intolerance, atrocities against dalits and women, and displacement of tribals. Besides unemployment and lawlessness have worsened, they alleged.
Among others, former chief minister Giridhar Gamang and ex-OPCC presidents Niranjan Patnaik, Srikant Jena and Jayadev Jena attended the meeting.