SAMBALPUR: Ever since the trend of panchayat poll started trickling in, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has lost his sleep as the BJD has suffered defeat despite using all the force to register a win, said Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He hopped from Kanatbanji in Balangir, Ulunda in Sonepur, Paikmal in Bargarh, Rengali in Sambalpur before addressing the last meeting at Kuchinda in the district and concluding the day’s campaign. Addressing a public meeting at Rengali, Pradhan stated that the Chief Minister had used the State Government machinery as BJD machinery for poll campaign.
Exuding confidence that BJP will form Zilla Parishad in at least half of the 30 districts of Odisha, he said the trend signals end of ‘Naveen’s misrule.’ He said from Malkangiri to Mayurbhanj, Balangir to Balasore, Keonjhar to Kendrapara, it has been BJP all the way and it indicates change of guard in 2019. Arrogance and greed for power was behind the fall of BJD and it should realise that it cannot take people for a ride for so long, Pradhan added. The Union Minister said a zero for the party in Kalahandi district was the outcome of neglect shown by the Government to people like Dana Majhi, in Malkangiri the scourge of Japanese Encephalitis and malnutrition in Nagada have proved the inefficiency of the BJD Government.
Citing examples, he said the State requires 1.3 crore eggs for general consumption (including MDM) daily, but the State produces 63 lakh and there is a shortfall of 40 lakh eggs per day. Had the State Government planned properly, poultry could have provided employment to thousands of youths. The Centre is paying 42 paise for every rupee spent by the State Government, yet the money is being channelised to BJD coffers, he alleged. Pradhan also spoke about large-scale vacancies in posts of teachers at a time when qualified youths are still jobless.
Showing a letter of Naveen to Election Commission on BJP’s query on the source of `750 crore in Jan Dhan account, Pradhan alleged that the ill-gotten money in the account belonged to the BJD. BALANGIR: Pradhan also slammed the Naveen Patnaik Government at an election meeting in Kantabanji while campaigning for party candidates. He said the State Government has failed in every sector and police is working as the agent of the State Government. The trends of the current panchayat election is proving the calculations of political pundits wrong. This is a symbol of change, added Dharmendra. The BJP is getting huge success in the panchayat election. The party has taken 10 seats out of 13 declared till date in Zilla Parishad election.