Odisha CM derides Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Ashwini Vaishnaw, invokes God to guide them

By Mahendra Darjee

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 19:  Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday went offensive against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, especially two Union ministers from the state, saying they were only persons of promises not performances.

The CM’s castigation came even as the saffron party continued to mount pressure on the CM for his resignation owing to what it said was the collapse of the law and order situation in the state.

Mr Patnaik, while addressing three separate meetings at Paikamal, Padmapur and Jharbandh in western Odisha’’s Bargarh district, without taking the name of Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Ashwini Vaishnaw, said they had made tall promises during the Padampur assembly polls. However, nothing has materialised till today.

Paikamal, Padampur and Jharbandh blocks come under Padampur assembly constituency which went to bypoll in December 2022 and the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) won it.

The BJP had blamed the BJD for not providing land to get the constituency connected by rail network, besides holding the ruling party for lack of other amenities, including drinking water and inadequate irrigation facilities. The party had also castigated the regional outfit for not fulfilling the long standing demand of Padampur people to accord the constituency a separate district status.

“They believe in false promises. I don’t believe in words but work. District status to Padampur will be accorded within a year as the state government is carrying out necessary works in this regard,” the CM said, making an indirect references to Dharmendra Pradhan and Ashwini Vaishnaw who had led the Padampur bypoll campaign.

Mr Patnaik further said that the promises made during the bypoll were being fulfilled and already the work for upgrading the Paikamal primary health centre (PHC) into community health centre (CHC) and others had been done.

“I had made announcements for Padampur and the Paikamal primary health centre (PHC) has been upgraded into a community health centre (CHC). The work for the Chakradhar dam has started and land has been identified for various 11-kv electric sub-stations,” said the CM.

While addressing the gathering, Patnaik also took a dig at the Union Ministers without taking any names.

The CM inaugurated multiple projects for the constituency and distributed Rs 1.23 crore interest-free credits to women self-help groups (SHGs) for scaling up their entrepreneurship activities.

“During the by-election, Union ministers had visited here and assured us about the railway project, kendu leaves subsidy, crop insurance and other issues. I pray to Lord Nrusinghanath to make sure that the Union Ministers do remember such assurances,” said Patnaik.

Reacting to the CM’s observations, BJP Lok Sabha member from Bargarh, Suresh Pujari said, “Everybody has the right to say anything in a democracy.  However, it is a minimum courtesy that MP and MLAs need to be invited to a programme and it was only through newspapers that we came to know that CM is visiting here.”

Mr Pujari said that the Government of India has decided to extend the railway line from Bargarh to Nuapada via Paikamal and Padampur. It is now over a year that the state government is yet to complete the land acquisition process.

“I urge the CM that if he really wants development of Padampur, he should ensure early completion of the land acquisition for the railway project,” Pujari added.