BHUBANESWAR: Biju Janata Dal vice-president Prasanna Acharya on Thursday said there is nothing abnormal in Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik entrusting officers with different responsibilities as the head of the government.
Countering the opposition attack on the chief minister, Acharya, also the national spokesperson of the BJD, told mediapersons that there has been no delegation or transfer of power. “The chief minister entrusts people with different responsibilities in the government as he has the Constitutional right to assign any government officer any work,” he added.
Stating that the chief minister has also instructed ministers, the chief secretary and other officials to interact with the people directly to solve their problems, Acharya said, “a non-issue is being made an issue by the opposition political parties for politics. People are happy that the government is reaching out to them.”
Referring to the letter by the Union Ministry of Personnel directing the chief secretary to take action for the alleged violation of conduct rules by an IAS officer of Odisha cadre, Acharya said it is a normal process. He dismissed the letter as unimportant. Targeting the Opposition political parties for raising such a hue and cry over the issue, Acharya said he fails to understand where is the Constitutional crisis.
“Development is the only agenda of the Naveen Patnaik government because of which people have reposed faith on the party for five consecutive terms,” the former Rajya Sabha member said adding, the Opposition should focus on serving the people without making such baseless allegations. Acharya said that the issue will have no impact on the next elections.
However, the opposition BJP and Congress continued its tirade against the 5T secretary on the day. Opposition chief whip Mohan Majhi alleged the ruling party MPs and MLAs are treating the 5T secretary as God and do not have the voice to oppose him.
Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati said ministers and MLAs are to be blamed for 5T secretary’s visits to different districts. Instead of raising their voice, they’re extending thanks and support to him, he added.