BJP Slams Odisha Minister Atanu Sabyasachi For ‘Misleading’ Remarks; Says Kendrapada Got Rail Link Due To Baijayant Panda

Kendrapada: Hitting out at BJD leader Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak over his remarks on Haridaspur-paradip railway line in Odisha, BJP on Tuesday accused the ruling party of being in the habit of hijacking and branding central schemes as its own.

Addressing a press meet, BJP’s Kendrapada district vice-president Sanjay Rath said Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and its leaders are trying to take full credit for railway projects in the state.

Accusing Atanu of trying to mislead people, Rath said that BJP national vice-president and party’s Kendrapasa Lok Sabha candidate Baijayant Panda’s contribution to the Haridaspur-Paradip railway line is immense. Because of Baijayant’s continuous efforts, the dream of the people of Kendrapada has been fulfilled, he said.

Stating that Baijayant had placed a demand for rail connectivity in the region way back in 2009, Rath said the former Kendrapada MP sincerely pursued the demand and worked in coordination with senior officials in New Delhi to make the people’s dream a reality.

The former MP was instrumental in implementation of the rail line work as he worked sincerely right from the project’s sanction, land acquisition to other processes, he said.

Hitting out at Atanu for claiming that the project was possible because of efforts of the Odisha government, the BJP leader said Atanu was MLA from Mahakalpada for 15 years and also a Minister.

However, because of his inefficiency and apathy people are depending on boats to cross river due to proper connectivity and lack of bridges, he claimed.

Despite being in power for the last 25 years in the state BJD has done nothing for the people of Mahakalpada, while Atanu is only misleading people, said Rath.

Stating that railway connectivity has been possible in Kendrapada because of Baijayant but the state government has done little to ensure establishment of industries in the region, he said.

Though Atanu was health Minister in the past, not a single good hospital has been set up in Kendrapada for critically ill patients, who are forced to go to Cuttack for treatment, Rath claimed.

Coming down heavily on Atanu, the BJP leader further said though the BJD leader was also Energy Minister in the past, power outage situation in Kendrapada is dismal and many areas are yet to get electricity supply.