Bhubaneswar: Taking a dig at Odisha’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government over the launch of a number of new projects, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday claimed that IT and semiconductor sectors witnessed unprecedented growth under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik.
Politics of claiming credit for the development of the semiconductor and IT ecosystem in the state intensified after Chief Minister Mohan Majhi performed the groundbreaking ceremony of India’s first Silicon Carbide manufacturing facility in Bhubaneswar. The CM also inaugurated the operation centres of four companies in the IT sector in Bhubaneswar on Friday.
Following these groundbreaking and inauguration ceremonies, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) sought to take credit for these projects. While a number of BJD leaders posted on X handles about previous government’s role in the success of semiconductor and IT infrastructure in the state, the regional party also held a press conference on the issue.
Addressing press meet in Bhubaneswar, senior BJD leader Dibya Shankar Mishra said credit should go to former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the success of building infrastructure for semiconductor manufacturing in the state.
Claiming that BJP government is trying to take credit by cutting ribbons, he said many projects which are being launched now are the outcome of years of hard work by the previous BJD regime.
Because of BJD government’s efforts in the past 24 years, Infovalley I and Infovalley II could be set up and giants like IBM, Deloitte and Cognizant could come to Odisha, said Mishra, adding Naveen Patnaik has never told anyone nor has he come before media to take credit for all these.
Besides Mishra’s press meet, senior BJD leaders Sasmit Patra, Tusharkanti Behera, Bhrugu Baxipatra and Lekhashri Samantsinghar in posts on their X handles said that Odisha became a thriving IT hub during the previous BJD government, while the new regime is simply busy cutting ribbons.
Patra, a Rajya Sabha member, said that under the dynamic leadership of Naveen Patnaik, Odisha transformed into a thriving IT hub. “From pioneering incentives for semiconductor investments to conducting global roadshows that brought industry giants to Odisha, every step was meticulously planned. Yet, the new government is busy cutting ribbons and claiming the success of these initiatives. Odisha knows the truth—real progress comes from vision and hard work, not from taking shortcuts to fame!,” the BJD leader said on X.
Behera, a former Electronics and IT Minister, said Odisha’s IT and semiconductor sectors saw unprecedented growth with MoUs signed with global giants like IBM, Cognizant, and RIR under Naveen’s leadership.
“Several projects were ready for inauguration, but the Model Code of Conduct halted their operation. Now, the new government is just cutting ribbons for the projects which are BJD’s achievements. Time for them to come up with original plans instead of taking credit for work done by the BJD government,” he said.
Reacting sharply to the claims made by the BJD leaders, BJP state president Manmohan Samal sought to know as to how the BJD government failed to deliver despite enjoying people’s blessings for 24 years.
Stating that the previous government had received Rs seven lakh crore, he said they could have done this during their long tenure but failed due to inaction.
The BJP government is now making sincere efforts to make it happen on the same day and it is obvious that the party in power will launch the projects and get credit.
