BHUBANESWAR: In a strong rebuff to BJP’s slogan of ‘double engine government’, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday said that single or double engine does not matter and what touches the people is good and pro-people governance.
The chief minister’s statement came within 48 hours of his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at New Delhi on Thursday where he had rejected all speculation of his joining any anti-BJP third front alliance for the 2024 elections. His statement has again given rise to a fresh round of speculation about his political moves in the immediate aftermath of BJP facing a heavy loss to Congress in Karnataka election.
Addressing partymen at Sankha Bhavan, the BJD headquarters here, after the thumping victory of party candidate Deepali Das in the Jharsuguda bypoll, the chief minister said pro-people and good governance always ensures victory for a party in election. “Single engine or double engine does not matter. From people’s point of view, governance is important. Good governance and pro-people governance always ensure victory for a party,” he said. The chief minister’s address to party leaders was unusually aggressive while targeting the BJP without taking names for ‘insulting women and people of Odisha’.
“Those who insult the people of Odisha by calling them lawless are working against our state. People of the state will never forgive them,” he stated. The chief minister said those who insult the women, sisters and daughters will never be forgiven by the people.
“Those who insult women, because they dare to enter public space, are actually working against the state,” he said and congratulated the people of Jharsuguda for reposing their faith on the BJD candidate. “This is the victory of the people of Jharsuguda. I am grateful to them for reposing faith in BJD once again,” he said.
He expressed his appreciation for the tireless efforts of the party workers in extreme heat to ensure victory of Deepali. “I am confident that your efforts will not go futile as development works started by the former minister Naba Kishore Das will be carried on by her daughter,” he said.
The chief minister said the result of the bypoll is the right reply to those who had also shown disrespect to women during campaign for bypoll to the Padampur assembly constituency. “Women are pride of Odisha. The BJD has always respected them for their contribution to the society. Out government has created Mission Shakti for empowerment of the women. Now, the women have come out of four walls of their houses and taken leadership in governance and all spheres of life,” he said.
Deepali also joined the meeting through video-conferencing and expressed her gratitude to the chief minister for reposing his confidence in her by nominating her to contest the bypoll.