Bhubaneswar: Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik Friday criticised Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for playing ‘cheap politics’ and announcing package for the Bijepur Assembly constituency.
The Congress leader alleged that there is a political agenda of the BJD and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik behind the announcement of a special package for the Bijepur Assembly constituency and demanded Chief Minister to refrain from playing such cheap politics.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced a package for the development of Bijepur Assembly constituency which among other things included conversion of 34,000 kutcha houses into pucca ones, two mega pipe water supply schemes to be executed at an estimated cost of Rs 1,120 crore, and a mega lift irrigation project to provide irrigation to 3,000 acres of agriculture land.
The OPCC president said the Chief Minister has won two Assembly seats – Hinjli and Bijepur – in the just concluded elections. In the coming days, there is a possibility of the Chief Minister vacating the Bijepur Assembly seat.
The Congress leader alleged that the BJD supremo has announced the package keeping the by-election of Bijepur in view.
The OPCC president said, “Naveen Patnaik is the Chief Minister of the state and it is not right on his part to give priority only to his Assembly constituency and announce big package for it soon after the formation of the new government.”
The Congress leader also demanded the Chief Minister to apprise the people about the status of package announced by him earlier during the by-election to Bijepur.