BHUBANESWAR: Congress’ Pawan Khera on Wednesday demanded expulsion of BJP’s Puri Lok Sabha candidate Sambit Patra from the party for his controversial remark on Lord Jagannath.
Talking to mediapersons here, Khera said if Patra was in Congress, he would have been immediately expelled from the party for hurting the faith of crores of devotees of Lord Jagannath. The prime minister should expel Sambit Patra from the party immediately, he added.
Khera said the statement of Union Home Minister Amit Shah that Konark, one of the heritage sites of Odisha, became world famous because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also unfortunate. He said such statements demeaning Odisha and its people by BJP leaders have pained people of the state. Such statements of BJP leaders will not be accepted by people, he said.
The Congress leader stated BJD and BJP which have a tacit understanding, have looted the state. He urged people of the state to reject both the parties and bring Congress to power in the state. Coming down on the BJD government in Odisha, he said for the last 24 years it has failed to perform and instead taken the state backwards. Referring to the prospects of INDI alliance in the ongoing elections, Khera said it will form the next government at the Centre by securing a clear majority.
