BALASORE: Former union minister and Congress Lok Sabha nominee for Balasore Srikant Jena on Tuesday challenged his counterparts in BJD and BJP to a public debate over the development challenges of Balasore.
Talking to mediapersons here, Jena accused both the parties of neglecting Balasore. He slammed the BJD government and said there is need for job creation, improved irrigation, farming, industrial growth, and railway connectivity to foster the district’s development.
“There is a longstanding demand for flood control measures, establishment of a marine drive from Chandipur to Udaypur-Talasari and implementation of the Subarnarekha Sanskar Yojana,” he said and lamented the failure of successive BJP and BJD governments to fulfill these demands.
Accusing the BJD and BJP of neglecting Balasore’s development, Jena said, “I challenge the leaders of both the parties to face me in a public debate regarding the progress made during my tenure in 2014. It is unfortunate there is lack of response from BJP and BJD, which leaves the responsibility on the people of Balasore to make the leaders accountable,” he asserted.
Jena will face Pratap Sarangi of the BJP and Lekhasri Samantsinghar of the BJD in the ensuing elections. Samantsinghar, who recently switched allegiance from BJP to BJD, has been nominated by the ruling party to contest from the Balasore Lok Sabha seat, while former union minister Pratap Sarangi seeks re-election.
During his tenure as MP, Jena said he developed infrastructure like auditoriums, established the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology (CIPET) and brought improvements in road, bridge, irrigation, and railway connectivity. He accused the BJD government of failing to attract industries to Balasore, increasing the job crisis in Odisha.
The veteran Congress leader urged the electorate to take the development record of both the BJP-led Central government and the BJD-led State government into consideration before casting their votes in the upcoming elections. He reiterated his commitment to the people of Balasore.