Bhubaneswar: Opposition parties in the state have tried to target Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and corner his government over the recent alleged cases of misappropriation of funds and irregularities.
State BJP spokesperson Samir Mohanty Friday held a press conference and accused the state government of befooling the people in the light of some of the alleged cases of scams like cooperative society and Omfed scams. He also said that many tainted leaders are being benefited by the party in later stage.
He said, “The party and the CM are trying to befool the people. Whenever some accusations are levelled against some of its leaders the CM makes them scapegoats and disowns them temporarily only to later bring them into the party and also award them. Many of them are awarded with MP seats.”
The leader also asked whether the party thinks the wealth of the state and resources belong only to the ruling party and took a dig at the BJD government in the light of some of the charges of misappropriations. The saffron party also cited names of some of the tainted BJD leaders who got into the party later.
On the contrary, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Niranjan Patnaik accused the state government of misusing the name of Late Biju Patnaik (former CM). On the sidelines of a programme, Saturday, Patnaik said the BJD should now be named after Naveen.
Hinting at the recent scam charges, Niranjan said, “At a time when a minister in the Assembly confesses to irregularities and mismanagement, the CM laughs at it. He is seemed to be protecting some of the culprits. The party has been ruling the state for around 18 years. Where are the jobs now, what facilities have been provided to the farmers. The party should now be named after Naveen. How many Biju Patnaik followers are there in the party now?”
The BJD, however, refuted the allegations. Party spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb said the opposition parties should look into the affairs of their own parties. The people of the state will judge the government.
PNN