Odisha BJP Keeping Party Central Leadership In Dark: Lekhashri Samantsinghar

Bhubaneswar: Couple of days after quitting BJP, Lekhashri Samantsinghar on Tuesday lambasted the leaders of Odisha unit of the saffron party, accusing them of keeping the central leadership in dark.

Lekhashri quit the Lotus party on April 7, alleging neglect despite giving her “blood and sweat” to it. She is second BJP Odisha vice-president after Bhrugu Baxipatra to exit the party and join the BJD in the weeks preceding the twin polls.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Lekhashri alleged that the BJP leaders in Odisha are running a ‘Jagirdari system’. “They are manipulating the Central leadership and keeping them in dark on the political scenario, affairs of the party and positioning and ability of workers. The Odisha BJP has no agenda or road map for the upcoming elections. The party has suffered and become directionless since Manmohan Samal took its reins and stands divided today,” she claimed.

She added that there no place for a hard-working workers like her, who wanted to the party to progress along with Odisha. “There was no scope for me to work in the BJP and serve the people of the state, which why I decided to quit the party,” she said.

Praising BJD president and CM Naveen Patnaik, she said that he had been constantly working for development and ‘asmita’ (pride) of Odisha for the past 25 years. “I have criticised the BJD government in the past as a BJP member and its spokesperson as per the decision taken the state leadership. And I will continue to speak and work for people of Odisha having joined the development bandwagon,” she added.

Her statement assumes significance since BJP has made ‘Odia asmita’ a key issue for the upcoming polls, while alleging that the BJD government is being run by non-Odias who are benefitting people from outside the state. The BJD too had jumped into the ring by projecting itself as the sole custodian of Odisha’s culture, history and aspirations on Utkala Dibasa through a message from the CM.

Speculation is rife that the BJD might field Lekhashri from Balasore Lok Sabha seat fill up the one-third quota for the fairer sex. The party, which started the trend of fielding women candidates in one-third of Lok Sabha seats in 2019, has so far given tickets to 6 women.