BJD counters Nadda, raises questions on central rice scheme and PMAY

Meanwhile, president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee Sarat Pattanayak said that Nadda’s visit or speech will have no impact in Odisha or the Congress.

BJD MP Sasmit Patra (File photo | EPS)

BHUBANESWAR: The ruling BJD strongly reacted to the remarks of BJP president JP Nadda against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the Bhawanipatna rally stating, 4.5 crore people of Odisha love him and have blessed him for the last 23 years by electing him for five consecutive terms.

BJD Rajya Sabha MP and national spokesperson Sasmit Patra said that Nadda’s speech was meant to encourage the BJP leaders and workers in the state who have become disappointed with the repeated defeats in the bypolls and zilla parishad elections last year.

Referring to the BJP president’s speech about the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, Patra said that he should have clarified when the Centre will start giving 5 kg rice per family under the scheme. He said that the Centre has stopped providing rice under the scheme by merging it with the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Nadda should also have stated why the Centre conspired to stop seven lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) meant for the state, he added.

Patra targeted the state BJP leaders for not informing Nadda about the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana. “Had they done it, Nadda would have praised the scheme,” he said and added that under the scheme a woman can avail the benefit of Rs 10 lakh. This is double the benefit of Rs  5 lakh she will get from Centre’s Ayushman Yojana, he said.

Meanwhile, the president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee Sarat Pattanayak said that Nadda’s visit or speech will have no impact on Odisha or the Congress. Referring to the improving performance of the Congress in the country, Pattanayak said that the party won the Karnataka Assembly election and will also win the upcoming elections in Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.