BHUBANESWAR: The BJP on Friday targeted the State Congress for deciding not to support the NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu and said that it reflected its anti-tribal policy.BJP State unit president Samir Mohanty told mediapersons that it is a matter of pride and honour for all Odia people that a tribal woman from the State is going to be the President of the country. But instead of rejoicing and extending support, the State Congress has announced its decision not to support her candidature, he added.
“The Congress should not forget that it has been elected to power many times due to the cooperation of the tribals. But when it comes to extending its support to them, the grand old party is backtracking,” he said.
Stating that for the first time in the history of Independent India, a tribal woman has been nominated to President post, the BJP leader said the Congress is not able to accept it. But the BJP in the 1997 presidential election had openly supported the candidature of KR Narayanan, he added.
The State BJP president said the Congress should not forget that in a democracy the ultimate power rests with the people, not the party. President of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Sarat Pattanayak said that the Congress is supporting its party candidate like the BJP which is also supporting its party candidate. The BJP should not create unnecessary confusion in the matter, he said.