Odisha BJP Spreading Lies To ‘Disturb’ BJD, No One In Touch With Them: Pramila Mallik

Bhubaneswar: Refuting claims that several of its leaders are keen to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday said that the saffron party is spreading lies in a bid to ‘disturb’ the regional outfit.

Asserting that no leader of the BJD is in touch with the BJP, senior leader of the regional party and its chief whip in the Assembly Pramila Mallik told reporters that a false campaign is being spread.

“They (BJP) are spreading lies in an attempt to disturb our party. No one from our party is interested to join the BJP. No BJD leader is in touch with them,” Mallik, a former Minister and ex-Speaker, claimed.

On the other hand, many of our leaders have come back to the party-fold, she said, adding that several BJP as well as Congress leaders have also joined the BJD.

The senior BJD leader also lashed out at the BJP over Subhadra Yojana and alleged that the saffron party cheated women in the name of the proposed programme.

Stating that no scheme has been prepared for Subhadra Yoana, she also accused the BJP over its Lakhpati Didi promise. The state got around seven lakh Lakhpati Didis during the previous Naveen Patnaik-led government, she said.

Notably, BJP leader and Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi had on Sunday termed the abrupt exit of former Rajya Sabha member Mamata Mahanta from BJD, a trailer.

“There are others in the queue. Several leaders of the regional party inspired by the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are keen to switch sides to BJP. Mamata Mahanta’s joining was a trailer, you all will get to watch a good film in the coming days,” she said.

On Friday, senior BJP leader Arabinda Dhali claimed that the BJD’s ‘nest will soon become empty’. “Resentment is brewing within BJD. A regional party degenerates once its founder becomes sick or anything else happens…BJP is a national party and it will survive,” he told reporters.

Mamata’s defection from BJD to BJP has put a question mark on the Naveen Patnaik-led party’s cohesion and stability in the aftermath of its debacle in twin elections with some senior BJD leaders calling for self-introspection and corrective measures to strengthen the party organisation. The BJD camp was caught off guard by her unexpected decision.