BALASORE/ KENDRAPARA/PARADIP: Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani on Saturday hit the campaign trail by holding public meetings in Remuna (Balasore), Aul (Kendrapara) and Kujang (Paradip) urging voters to exercise their franchise in favour of the party during the last phase polls on June 1.
Addressing a gathering at Kuruda market ground in Remuna, Irani appealed to people to vote for the BJP and help the party form double-engine government at both the Centre and the state. Launching a veiled attack on BJD leader VK Pandian, the union minister alleged, “Odisha is not safe in the hands of BJD as the party has looted crores of government funds in the name of mining, chit fund and other illegal activities with the help of a corrupt officer.”
The BJP leader further pointed out that despite Odisha being a mineral-rich state, people had to migrate outside for livelihood as the BJD government here did not provide them with enough job opportunities. The sitting MP of Amethi further promised that BJP would bring in several job opportunities to improve the economic condition of people, and utilise the natural resources of the state if it comes to power in Odisha.
Among others, BJP candidate from Remuna Gobinda Chandra Das was present.
In Aul under Kendrapara parliamentary segment, Irani promised of providing cash vouchers worth Rs 50,000 to every woman under the Subhadra Yojana if BJP forms government in the state. She attacked the BJD for ignoring the long-standing demand of people for establishment of a medical college in Kendrapara.
Commenting on the lost keys of the Srimandir Ratna Bhandar, the BJP leader said even Lord Jagannath is unsafe under BJD rule. “There is no trace of the Ratna Bhandar keys even after six years. BJP will find the truth behind the lost keys and punish those who looted it after coming to power in Odisha,” she claimed. Among others, BJP MP candidate from Kendrapara Baijayant Panda also spoke.
While campaigning in Kujang in Paradip, Irani accused Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of running a ‘remote-control government’ influenced by a Tamil Nadu officer. She said BJP had allocated crores of rupees to the state under the mineral exploration policy but the BJD misappropriated these funds. Besides, BJD has looted around Rs 32,000 crore from people through the chit fund scam,” she said.