BHUBANESWAR: Criticising Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for not attending the NITI Aayog meeting at New Delhi on Wednesday, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Thursday alleged that it was a deliberate act on his part to avoid taking a stand on the proposed amendments to the Land Acquisition Act.
The BJD, which opposed the amendments to the Act in the Lok Sabha, later changed its stand and compromised, OPCC president Prasad Harichandan told mediapersons here. This has exposed the secret pact between the BJD and BJP, he said and added that the Chief Minister has the habit of not attending such important meetings.
Had the Chief Minister informed the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) of his decision not to attend the meeting, Finance Minister Pradip Amat would not have faced such an embarrassing situation, he said.
He also criticised the PMO for not allowing Amat to attend the meeting and asked whether it is sign of healthy federal system. Can a Chief Minister not deputise a Minister to represent him in a meeting? Harichandan asked and said denial of entry to Amat at the meeting was an insult for Odisha.