BHUBANESWAR: Signalling BJD’s intent ahead of the next electoral hurdle, party supremo and leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday exhorted leaders of the regional outfit to prepare for panchayat and urban local body polls scheduled early next year.
Addressing a meeting of Lok Sabha and Assembly candidates who had lost in the 2024 elections at Sankha Bhawan here, Naveen discussed the party’s organisational position and local issues in various constituencies.
He said the massive success of the party’s ‘Nari Adhikar Abhijan’ across the state signals a change in the minds of people. The BJD had launched the ‘Nari Adhikar Abhijan’ to expose what it termed the BJP’s “deceitful approach” towards reservation of seats for women in Parliament and state Assemblies. Naveen thanked the party workers and women, who came out in large numbers to make the campaign a success.
He said that in the last two years, law and order situation in the state has completely collapsed. “The public is living in fear as crimes like murder, rape, robbery and atrocities against women have crossed all limits,” he said.
Stating that the economic condition has become even more deplorable, the former chief minister said when the BJD government left office, the state had a revenue surplus of `45,000 crore. Now the state’s debt burden is increasing and even social security pensions for the elderly and differently-abled are not being provided under this government.
Naveen said such mismanagement in Odisha’s administration was never seen under any previous government. During BJD’s 24-year-rule, Odisha performed well in various sectors and created a bright identity across the country, he added.
He also asked party leaders to take the SIR which is being implemented in the state seriously. “Keeping in mind incidents in other states during SIR, we must work with caution and alertness,” he said and advised the leaders to ensure that not a single eligible voter’s name is deleted due to any minor error.