KENDRAPARA: Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public meeting at Kendrapara, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday launched a frontal attack on BJP national vice-president and party’s candidate Baijayant Jay Panda saying the former MP failed the district despite being elected twice.Without naming Panda, the BJD chief accused him of letting his electorate down and said since he nominated the industrialist-turned politician from the Lok Sabha seat, he was accountable.
“He was never concerned about development of industry in Kendrapara nor accorded primacy to employment for youth of the district. He was focussed on serving his own interest,” Naveen said addressing election meetings on the day.
Naveen addressed two poll meetings at Chagharia, on the outskirts of Kendrapara town, and Rajnagar and his all-out attack against Jay Panda comes days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public meeting in the coastal town on April 23.
Kendrapara is the only coastal district which has no railway connectivity and the Chief Minister asserted that he had raised the issue before the Centre several times. “Once during my return from Delhi after a meeting, a senior Central minister told me that you are pitching in for railway connectivity to Kendrapara but your MP wants it for his industry. I felt let down,” Naveen said.
Kendrapara Parliamentary constituency which goes to polls on April 29, the last of the four phases of simultaneous elections in the State, is being keenly watched.
Naveen also invoked his illustrious father to woo voters of Kendrapara which had elected Biju Babu thrice to the Parliament in 1977, 1980 and 1984. “Biju Patnaik had an emotional relationship with the people of Kendrapara who elected him many times. Biju Babu loved Kendrapara for which I need your blessings,” he said.
Naveen said he had announced 33 per cent reservation for women candidates in the Parliament from Kendrapara which was Biju Babu’s “karma bhoomi.”Both Congress and BJP have no agenda to develop the State. The State Government promoted a large number of women under SHGs and they are now self-reliant. Since BJD Government came to power 19 years back, Odisha progressed in all sectors, said the Chief Minister.
He also accused the Centre of stalling the Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme for the farmers, landless labourers and share croppers. He promised release of second instalment of financial assistance of `10,000 on the first day of formation of next Government by the BJD if the party is voted back to power.