BHUBANESWAR: As the BJD-BJP fight in the ensuing elections has turned into an intense face-off between senior ruling party leader VK Pandian and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the bureaucrat-turned-politician on Friday announced he would quit politics if Naveen Patnaik failed to take oath as the chief minister on June 9 and challenged the latter to do so if the saffron party is defeated again.
Addressing an election meeting at Brajarajnagar, the BJD leader came down heavily on Pradhan for making big claims about BJP coming to power in this election and making him the target of attacks.
“You are a very tall leader. I am a ‘chamcha’ and ‘gumasta’. When I can announce that I will take sanyas from politics if the chief minister fails to take oath again, why can’t you do so. If you have the courage, announce it,” Pandian said.
Referring to the BJP’s claims that a wave for change is evident in this election, he said that the leaders of the Opposition political parties are resorting to falsehood which will be rejected by the people.
The BJD will win the Assembly elections by three-fourth majority and Naveen Patnaik will be sworn in as the next chief minister of the state for the sixth consecutive time on June 9 as per the schedule announced by the party, he asserted.
Pandian also accused Pradhan of using bad language against the chief minister. Taking potshots at him, he said, the Union minister has no electoral victory to show for.
“The minister tried to contest from Dhenkanal and moved around the constituency for 10 years. He visited the constituency more than 400 times. But, as he did nothing for the constituency, he got the signal and decided not to contest from there. Now, he has moved over to a new place Sambalpur,” Pandian said.
The BJD leader questioned Pradhan’s contribution to Sambalpur. “The Union minister could not even complete the work of the national highway between Cuttack and Sambalpur. But, the chief minister has resolved the problem of displaced persons of Hirakud which was continuing for decades,” he said.