BHUBANESWAR: The ruling BJD on Sunday described the manifestos released by the BJP and Congress as full of false promises and said the people of Odisha who have seen through the deceiving nature of the national parties will give them a fitting reply in the elections.
The BJD shot off 15 questions to BJP on its manifesto and asked why will people of Odisha repose their trust in it. BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra said just as the 2014 election manifesto of BJP was full of falsehood, the one in 2019 is replete with bigger lies.
“Why has the promise of special category status for Odisha been forgotten by the party this time? Why is second bridge on Bramhani river and Ispat Speciality Hospital and Medical College missing from 2019 election manifesto of BJP?” Patra asked and said the saffron party’s ‘Sankalpa Patra’ is also silent on Mahanadi and Polavaram issues.
Alleging that BJP is making false promises for connecting all districts with railways, Patra questioned, “What was the party doing for the development of railway lines in Nabarangpur and Malkangiri districts for the last five years? Why is the BJP silent on its promise of creation of two crore jobs every year and deposit of Rs 15 lakh in each account?”
Patra alleged that the BJP is spreading falsehood by talking of doubling farmers’ income when the BJD Government has already done so during the last 10 years as per the report of Central Statistical Organisation (CSO). The BJD also alleged that the saffron party is trying to reduce health assurance of women in Odisha from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.
Alleging that the Congress is trying to overtake BJP in making false promises to people, Patra said if the cash transfer announced by the grand old party in its manifesto will be implemented, the annual expenditure will be Rs 2 lakh crore when budget of Odisha is about Rs 1.2 lakh crore. If the promises made by Congress will be implemented, there will be no fund left for schools, colleges, hospitals, roads and bridges, he added.