BHUBANESWAR: The BJP on Sunday launched a sharp offensive against the opposition BJD and Congress and accused them of pursuing “anti-national and anti-Odisha” politics and misleading people on key issues.
Adopting a political resolution in the concluding session of the two-day state executive committee meeting in Cuttack, the saffron party condemned the conduct of the two parties on contemporary national and state issues.
The BJP accused the Congress of attempting to tarnish India’s image despite the country’s economy growing at 7.8 per cent under adverse circumstances. It alleged that opposition parties were “joining hands with forces working against the country’s unity, security and sovereignty”.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, addressed the meeting on the day, spoke about the various welfare schemes of the government and its implementation. Addressing the meeting, BJP national general secretary (organisation) BL Santosh urged party workers to strengthen their grassroots connect and win people’s confidence in the forthcoming local elections. Santosh said the BJP government in the state has prioritised a service-oriented approach with the chief minister and his government regularly hearing people’s grievances.
The resolution criticised both BJD and Congress for opposing the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act and allegedly creating confusion through misleading information.
The BJP criticised Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi over their alleged conduct during the singing of Vande Mataram at the party headquarters in New Delhi on August 15, describing it as an example of the party’s “anti-national mindset”.
The party also accused the opposition parties of opposing women’s reservation bill and alleged that their stand reflected an ‘anti-women’ mindset. The resolution further attacked them over their alleged support for “urban and ideological Naxals and opposition to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA)”.
Turning its guns on the BJD, the BJP alleged that the previous Naveen Patnaik-led government had deliberately stolen the file relating to the commission of inquiry into the killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati. It described the disappearance of a commission file concerning such a sensitive case as a serious matter requiring explanation.
The ruling party also accused the Congress of functioning as the BJD’s ‘B-team’ in the state and alleged that the state Congress is being guided by the regional party. It also attacked BJD leaders for “petty politics and insensitive remarks” over the recent floods in several districts.
National general secretary of BJP Sunil Bansal, deputy chief ministers KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, state in-charge Vijay Pal Singh Tomar, co-in-charge Lata Usendi, ministers, MPs and MLAs were among the leaders who attended the meeting.
