NUAPADA: Continuing his tirade against the ruling BJP, BJD president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Friday came down heavily on the saffron party for ‘stealing votes and candidates’.
Campaigning for BJD candidate Snehangini Chhuria, the second time in last five days, Naveen said, “They (BJP) can steal votes and candidates, but cannot steal the hearts of the people.”
Recounting the enthusiasm he witnessed during his visit to Komna earlier on Monday, he claimed efforts were made to stop him from attending the public meeting on Friday. “You know how you, I and the BJD were betrayed. That’s why I have fielded our Biju Mahila Janata Dal president Snehangini Chhuria as your candidate and asked her to serve you after Raju bhai (Rajendra Dholakia),” he added.
Naveen questioned the BJP’s 500-day performance report. “Did people get 300 units of free electricity and `3,500 pension? Did farmers get urea fertiliser? Did youths get jobs? Did women get Mission Shakti loans? Did arbitrary deductions stop? What did you actually get? Only betrayal, in fact, double betrayal,” he alleged.
Drawing a contrast between the welfare schemes, the BJD supremo said, “Under our Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), people got health security. But under Ayushman Bharat scheme, people are only getting tension.”
Giving a final push to the BJD campaign ahead of the Nuapada bypoll scheduled on November 11, the BJD president led a mega roadshow through Khariar Road and Nuapada NAC, followed by a massive public meeting at Parkod village. Despite a delay of over an hour caused by air-traffic clearance issues, the former chief minister reached Khariar Road around 12.30 pm to kick off the roadshow.
He travelled atop his campaign bus, accompanied by another vehicle carrying Chhuria and senior party leaders, as nearly 1,000 motorcycles followed in a procession. The BJD chief made halts at six key points where he greeted supporters and appealed for votes for the BJD.
Later in the day, Naveen addressed a public meeting at Parkod. Recalling his father Biju Patnaik’s legacy, he said, “Biju babu had created the Nuapada district, and during the BJD government, we ensured that it was brought into the mainstream of development.”
He mentioned appointing late Nuapada MLA Rajendra Dholakia as a minister and said the BJD always extended full support to the region’s growth. “The BJD believes in work, not words. Under our government, Nuapada witnessed a new phase of progress. From Biju Expressway to irrigation, education, healthcare, drinking water and tribal development, every sector saw transformation. But today, that progress has come to a standstill,” he claimed.