Congress, BJD want poor to remain poor, alleges PM Modi

BHAWANIPATNA: A day after BJP national president Amit Shah tried all possible ways to woo voters in Odisha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in the state and fired on all cylinders targeting the ruling Biju Janata Dal and the Congress

The PM, without taking names, criticised the BJD and Congress alleging that both the parties had conspired to keep the poor of the state poor during their leadership.

“The two parties have used the poor and farmers in the state as ‘votebank’ and later betrayed them after coming to power. Large numbers of people are migrating to other states in search of work,” he stated.

Mr Modi further cornered the BJD government over chit fund and mining scams. He alleged that the Odisha government, during its 19 years of rule, had only given patronage to fraudsters, chit fund and mining Mafias.

“The state’s natural resources which could have been utilised to enrich the lives of poor people here have been given to chit fund and mining mafias. Thousands of people have been looted by chit fund firms who got direct patronage of the local government,” he added.

Speaking in the same vein, Mr Modi questioned the people, “Do you need a chit fund mafia or a Chowkidar? Do you need a mining mafia or a Chowkidar?”