Odisha Elections 2024: BJP Plans To Scrap Mission Shakti, Claims Pandian During Marathon BJD Campaign

Angul/Dhenkanal: Stepping up the attack on Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, BJD leader V K Pandian on Monday accused him of using insulting and inappropriate words against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Addressing a series of election rallies in Dhenkanal and Angul districts, Pandian said though Dharmendra has been a Union Minister for the last ten years, his contribution towards Odisha and its development is zero.

Being the Union Education and Skill Development Minister, Dharmendra could have set up many central schools, Navodaya Vidyalayas in the state, he said, adding that the BJP leader could have established skill development centres in every block.

“However, the Union Minister never took any step in this regard. Therefore, he has run away from his own area in Angul and contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Sambalpur,” the BJD leader said.

Coming down heavily on Dharmendra, he accused him of and BJP of planning to close Mission Shakti programme which is benefitting lakhs of women SHG members in the state.

Pandian further claimed that BJP will take the state 25 years backward despite its promise to make Odisha the number one state in the country.

Accusing Dharmendra of verbally abusing the Chief Minister, the BJD leader alleged that the Union Minister has been using insulting and inappropriate language against Naveen.

Stating that Naveen believes in work and not in words, Pandian said other states and the Central government are also learning a lot from various schemes being implemented in Odisha. “I wonder why the Union Minister abuses the CM,” he said.