For Orissa CM, bashing Centre still key vote ploy

The Biju Janata Dal, headed by Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik, is relying heavily on stirring up anti-Centre sentiments across the state in order to do gather support for the upcoming panchayat elections.

Mr Patnaik has launched a state-wide march to “awaken” people about the “perennially apathetic” attitude of the Centre — both under the previous UPA regime and present NDA government — towards Orissa.

The BJD has listed a host of issues, including Orissa not getting special category state status, a special favour shown to Andhra Pradesh in the Polavaram project, the NDA government taking a soft stand on Chhattisgarh government with regard to the Mahanadi water row, the cut in the state’s shares in a number of the Central government’s schemes and the revocation of certain Centrally-funded programmes to raise during the yatra.

The regional party’s leaders are leaving no stone unturned to highlight the delinking of at least 8 Centrally-sponsored schemes, including the backward region grant fund and the integrated action plan to strengthen their vote bank.