Governance Missing In Odisha As It Has ‘Half Engine’, Says Dharmendra Countering CM Naveen

Bhubaneswar: In a stinging attack on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his ‘double-engine’ remarks, senior BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday said governance has taken a back seat in Odisha as it is managing with ‘half engine.’

Dharmendra was taking a dig at Naveen for his recent remarks that it is good governance which matters in Odisha and not single or double engine government. Naveen had said this after BJD’s spectacular victory in Jharsuguda Assembly by-election.

Stating that ‘double engine’ is not possible in the state by Naveen, the Union Education Minister said only ‘half engine’ exists in the state. Therefore, Odisha is hit by misrule and bad governance and the state’s health survey report speaks volume on this, the senior BJP leader claimed.

Coming down heavily on the BJD government for rising malnutrition cases in the state, Dharmendra advised the state government to work on priority basis and resolve the alarming malnutrition situation at the earliest.

Claming that both pregnant and lactating mothers and children under the age of 5 are suffering from malnutrition, he said due to lack of nutritious food, they fail to get good health and sound mind. The situation in tribal areas of the state is acute. This is not what has only been published in media but is reflected in a health survey, Dharmenra said.

Claiming that governance deficit is the main cause behind the situation, the BJP leader said BJD is free to target him for raising the real issue affecting the public, but the Chief Minister must focus on the issue in the interest of the state and people.