Berhampur: Taking a dig at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for claiming to form government in Odisha after the ensuing polls, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader V K Pandian on Tuesday asked the saffron party to announce its chief ministerial candidate if it has courage.
Undertaking a whirlwind tour of Ganjam district and holding roadshows to campaign for BJD candidates, Pandian said BJP has been daydreaming of coming to power in Odisha but is unable to decide its chief ministerial candidate.
Pandian, who is considered BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s trusted aide, held a mega roadshow at Sheragada and addressed a public meeting at Khallikote during his day-long high-voltage campaign in Ganjam district.
Claiming that a senior BJP leader is very keen to become Odisha CM, the BJD leader said that the saffron party is reluctant to repose faith and trust in him as it is aware of his weakness. BJP knows that its performance will nosedive if this leader is declared the party’s CM candidate, he said, apparently referring to Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
On the other hand, people of Odisha know it well that Naveen Patnaik is the undisputed leader of BJD to become the CM, said Pandian, throwing a challenge to BJP to declare its CM candidate for Odisha if it has the required courage.
Stating that all decisions of BJP is taken by its central leadership, he said Odisha will be pushed backward by 20-25 years if BJP comes to power in the state. Only BJD is capable of ensuring speedy development of Odisha, he said.
The BJD leader also accused BJP and Congress of conspiring to derail the development process of Odisha for their narrow interests.
Alleging that BJP is desperate to grab power in the state only for the interest of its leaders, Pandian said they do not want to work for the development and welfare of the people.
