Bhubaneswar: As opposition parties in Odisha sharpened their attack on 5T Secretary V K Pandian’s whirlwind tours of the state, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday alleged that the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is now being run by the IAS officer.
Talking to media, senior BJP leader and former MLA PradIp Purohit made several claims about the functioning of the ruling BJD ahead of the elections due in 2024.
Noting that the voters in the state had voted BJD to power under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, he said people are now want to know about the exact position of 5T Secretary as he was not elected by them.
Despite being a bureaucrat, 5T Secretary has now emerged as the face of governance in the state, Purohit said, adding that BJP is opposing the development as elected representatives are being sidelined because of the officer’s activities.
The former legislator alleged that BJD has no grip over its organisation as the party is now under the control of 5T Secretary who is visiting different places and announcing projects. The 5T Secretary, who was earlier standing behind the Chief Minister, is now in the front, he said, and sought to know whether the ruling BJD has accepted the Pandian.
The senior BJP leader further claimed that BJD leaders are unhappy over this development, but they are unable to make their resentment public.
Claiming that BJD tickets for the next elections are going to be distributed by 5T Secretary, the ex-MLA alleged that the Chief Minister has already signed on blank party tickets for all Assembly and Lok Sabha seats and these are now with Pandian. Therefore, BJD leaders are unable to speak out and nobody in the ruling party will be able to oppose this before the elections, he claimed.
Claiming that some other person may occupy the CM’s chair even if BJD wins, Purohit sought to know as to why the Chief Minister has become so ‘helpless’ and he does what 5T Secretary wants.
Dismissing the allegations as baseless, a senior BJD said that BJP is in the habit of making such charges without any basis.
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