CM Naveen ignores BJP barbs, says BJD always protects self-respect of Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Ignoring barbs from BJP national president JP Nadda during his two-day visit to the State, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday said that the service of the people should be the main goal and politics should be used only as a medium.

Addressing the concluding session of the two-day preparatory meet for the BJD’s month-long Jana Sampark Yatra starting October 1, the Chief Minister said there is politics at the time of election, but after that everybody should join hands to work for the welfare of the common people.

As a regional party, he said, BJD has always given priority towards protecting the self-respect and interest of Odisha. The CM said the party is always with the people and works for them. He called upon all party leaders and workers to take these messages to the people and make the Jana Sampark Yatra a huge success. Organisational secretary of BJD Pranab Prakash Das said partymen should take the success story of the government under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik to every nook and corner of the State.

Industries Minister Pratap Deb said that the Chief Minister’s foresight and vision for people is the reason why the party is so popular in the State. “He has made it possible for BJD to win for the fifth consecutive time and we will have to continue to work hard along with him for a victory for the 6th consecutive time,” he added.

Meanwhile, former minister Sanjay Das Burma targeted the Centre for ignoring the demands of Odisha and announced that party’s fight against this injustice will continue. Supporting Das Burma, senior leader Amar Prasad Satpathy alleged that Centre is not cooperating with the State on disaster management. He said this message should be taken to the people of the State during the Jana Sampark yatra.

Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari said there will be no dearth of funds for the implementation of all the welfare measures announced by the State government.