Bhubaneswar: Senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan Tuesday accused Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of outsourcing the state government to a handful of officers.
Chouhan said this at the airport here before visiting Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack Lok Sabha segments in Odisha. He is scheduled to attend meeting of party workers both in Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack.
“Naveen Patnaik has outsourced the government to some officers for which there is rampant corruption at every level. Patnaik is not running the government and officers on his behalf rule the state”, the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister told reporters.
Chouhan alleged that there has been a rise in atrocities against women in Odisha for which girls and mothers do not feel safe in the state. He also accused the state’s BJD government of “re-branding” central schemes and misleading people.
Claiming that BJP will win more seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and also form government in Odisha, Chouhan asserted that more than 86 per cent of people in the state support Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Replying to a question on Congress’ allegation of a “shadow boxing” between BJD and the BJP in Odisha, Chouhan said: “We (BJP) will fight against the BJD with full strength and win elections in 2024”.
Chouhan’s visit is part of BJP leaders tour to Odisha ahead of the general elections. BJP state president Manmohan Samal said Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will also visit the state February 15. Gadkari will visit the Puri Parliamentary constituency and review poll preparations.
Samal said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will arrive here February 22. “His itinerary is yet to be finalised. BJP national president JP Nadda may also visit Odisha by the end of this month”, he said.
Samal said the BJP has set a target to secure 51 per cent vote share in the 2024 general election.
On February 3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Odisha and addressed a political meeting in Sambalpur.
In January, senior BJP leader Jaynarayan Mishra had said that 21 national leaders of the party will campaign in the 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha ahead of the elections.
BJP’s Odisha in-charge Vijaypal Singh Tomar Sunday had claimed that his party will win at least 80 seats in the 147-member Odisha assembly and 16 of the state’s 21 Lok Sabha seats.
PTI