Kendrapara: Although the bugle for the next Assembly and Parliamentary elections have not been blown in the state, the political scene in Kendrapara is turning hot as leaders of major political parties have started coming to the district to boost the morale of their party workers.
Chief Minister Naveen Pattanaik is scheduled to come to Sarumuhi in Mahakalapada district Saturday to lay the foundation stone of a mega piped water supply project at Rs 241 crore.
The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee Friday launched its 2019 general election campaign from the Mahakalapada Assembly seat with an election meeting at the Ramchandi temple grounds.
OPCC president Niranjan Pattanaik, former OPCC president Jaydev Jena, former Speaker Kishore Chandra Patel, Chiranjeev Biswal, Manifesto Committee Chairperson Ganeswar Behera, Aul MLA Debendra Sharam, Rajnagar MLA Anshuman Mohanty, DCC President Chinamay Beura and other DCC office bearers participated in the meeting.
Addressing the gathering, PCC President Niranjan Pattanaik criticised the BJD government for failing to solve the problems of farmers and unemployment in the state. He said this government is a private company and within two years it would cease to exist.
He said the BJD government had failed to curb rapes. From 2001 to 2005 four women were raped a day, but from 2015 to 2018 the number has jumped to 18, he said.
Niranjan said the BJD and Modi Governments have failed to create jobs. He said 60 lakh Odia youths are hunting for jobs like labourers, peons and guards outside the state and 85 lakh youths were looking for jobs inside the state.
He said if the Congress comes to power the loans of farmers would be written off and financial assistance would be given to them for five years. Irrigation canals and solar pumps would be provided, he said.
Declaring that if the Congress comes to power it would focus on creating jobs, he said the party would hike the Rs 1000 pension given to widows, the aged and the disabled.
The OPCC chief said if the Congress comes to power 80 per cent of Odia youths will be given jobs in upcoming industries in the state. The party would ask companies to set up 30 per cent of their ancillary units in the state, he added.
Lashing out at the BJD, he said it is a party not of the poor but that of Dalmias, Tatas and Ambanis. Corruption rules the roost in the state and law and order has hit its nadir. The High Court was closed for 70 days, Niranjan pointed out.
The Biju Yuba Bahini was launched for capturing polling booths, Niranjan said.
PNN