Baripada/Balasore: Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik Friday said President Droupadi Murmu was the “daughter of the soil” and that was why his BJD supported her in the presidential elections.
Addressing an election rally in Murmu’s native place of Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district, Patnaik referred to her as his sister.
“The daughter of the soil and my sister Droupadi Murmu is the president of India. Respecting the daughter of this soil, the Biju Janata Dal supported her in the presidential elections,” Patnaik said.
At the meeting, he also took feedback from the people on different welfare schemes of his government and told them about his election promise of providing free electricity.
“You will not get an electricity bill from July. Are you happy?” Patnaik asked the gathering who responded with a loud “yes”.
The BJD in its election manifesto has promised to provide free electricity to all domestic households consuming less than 100 units per month. For households consuming between 100-150 units, 50 units will be free.
The CM urged the people to support the party’s Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha nominee Sudam Marandi, and the candidates for the assembly seats that are part of the parliamentary constituency.
Patnaik also claimed that leaders of the opposition BJP were resorting to “lies” and were shedding “crocodile tears” for the people.
Speaking at the rally, senior BJD leader Kartik Pandian said the government in the state was a government of tribals, farmers and the youth.
The BJD government is spending Rs 13 crore for the development of Pandit Raghunath Murmu’s birthplace, setting up a degree college in Tiringi and building a new road for the accident-prone Bangiriposhi Ghat, he said.
Pandian said that Patnaik was the only leader who was taking measures for the development and preservation of tribal art, culture and places of worship.
The CM also addressed an election rally in Baripada town, the district headquarters of Mayurbhanj, and in Balasore district.
PTI