Development impossible as long as BJD remains in power: Amit Shah

Bhubaneswar: The state would not achieve development as long as the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government remains in power, said BJP president Amit Shah, who arrived on a three-day visit to Odisha on Wednesday.

Addressing a meeting of intellectuals in the state capital, Shah pointed out that odisha is lagging behind other states in various sectors as the BJD government is running like a defunct transformer.

Dubbing the BJD government as ‘non-performer’, he said, “Better roads and 24-hour electricity supply still remain a distant dream for people in Odisha. Hence, such a government should be thrown out of power.”

He also passed snide remarks on chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s failure to learn Odia in past 17 years.

Earlier in the day, the saffron party chief met national and state leaders and advised them to step up efforts for strengthening the party’s organisation at the grassroots.

Shah is scheduled to visit Lingaraj Temple here around 8:30 am tomorrow. Later, he would attend several meetings in six phases at the party office between 9:30 am and 12:55 pm.

On the last day, he will address booth-level workers at Janata Maidan here, sources said.