BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched a sharp attack on leader of Opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik over his remarks regarding MLAs who voted according to their “conscience” in the Rajya Sabha elections.
Reacting to Naveen’s comment describing such legislators as having a “criminal background”, Majhi termed the statement unfortunate and an insult to democratic values. Addressing mediapersons after conclusion of the polls, the chief minister said the remark undermined the dignity of elected representatives and the mandate of the people who voted them to power.
Majhi said it was inappropriate for a leader who had served as chief minister for a long period to use such “immature and derogatory language” against legislators. According to him, the MLAs who exercised their vote did so keeping in mind the interests of their constituencies and the development of the state. Branding them criminals, he said, amounts to insulting the thousands of voters who elected them.
The chief minister further asserted that elected representatives are not bound to any individual leader but are accountable only to the Constitution and the people they represent. He also suggested that when internal democracy weakens within a regional party and leadership becomes concentrated in the hands of a few groups, it is natural for self-respecting public representatives to raise their voice.
Taking a direct swipe at Naveen, Majhi said the same legislators being criticised today were once considered valuable members of the BJD and had even received the party chief’s support during elections. “If their backgrounds were questionable, why were they earlier projected and supported by him?” he asked.
Majhi also said that such comments appear to stem from the frustration of electoral defeat. He maintained that the people of the state have the power to change anyone who stands in the way of the state’s progress.
The chief minister said the outcome of the Rajya Sabha election, in which BJP and its supported candidates secured victory, reflected the people’s continued support for the government’s efforts to advance Odisha’s development and prosperity under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Congratulating Manmohan Samal, Sujeet Kumar and Dilip Ray for their victory, the chief minister said, “This victory is an important milestone in our collective resolve to build a Samruddha Odisha. Their presence in the Upper House will further strengthen Odisha’s voice for the state’s interests, development, and public service at the national-level.”