NAYAGARH: Stating that no national party will get a clear majority in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday claimed that BJD will play a key role in government formation at the Centre.
Launching the election campaign for the party, the Chief Minister asserted that BJD will win all the 21 Lok Sabha seats from Odisha in the coming elections. “This time Conch (BJD’s election symbol) will win all the 21 out of 21 seats,” Naveen said and called upon people to vote for party candidates in the ensuing elections to redress the neglect of Odisha by the Centre.
Targeting the saffron party for not fulfilling election promises, the Chief Minister said according to special category state status to Odisha was number one point in the election manifesto of BJP for the 2014 polls. “However, BJP forgot about the promise after coming to power,” Naveen said and added that employment opportunities for youths will double if Odisha is given special category state status.
The state has received investment proposals worth rupees five lakh crore which will create employment opportunities for 30 lakh youths, the Chief Minister said and added all these will double if Odisha gets special category state status. Alleging that injustice has been done to Odisha and its youth, Naveen said the state has the poorest railway network in the country, but Centre gets the highest profit from here in the sector.
The Chief Minister said Railway gets Rs 20,000 crore from Odisha every year, but spends only Rs 1000 crore for the State and the rest is utilised for other states. Asking the people whether this is not central neglect, Naveen said Centre has collected thousands of crores from Odisha from coal sector, but the state has got only pollution.
Criticising the BJP for supporting the Chhattisgarh government in the Mahanadi river water dispute, the Chief Minister said Odisha got justice from the Supreme Court. Similarly, the BJP led Central government supported Andhra Pradesh on the Pollavaram dam issue, he said and added that Odisha is at the bottom in all Central government infrastructure programmes including telecom, banking and National Highways.
Stating that BJP leaders from Odisha know this, the Chief Minister said they are afraid raising these issues before their High Command which is controlling them from New Delhi. Stating that BJD is party of people of Odisha who are its High Command, Naveen said that the remote control of BJD is with 4.5 crore people of Odisha.
The Chief Minister said BJD is the only party which has implemented 33 reservation of seats for women in the Lok Sabha polls. Referring to the candidature of Pramila Bisoi from the Aska Lok Sabha constituency, Naveen said the BJD is always working for empowering women. Besides, he also referred to the KALIA scheme under which 35 lakh farmers have already received assistance. Another 20 lakh farmers’ family have been listed and they will also assistance under the scheme, he said.