Naveen Patnaik backstabs leaders, says Amit Shah

Bhubaneswar: The BJP national president Amit Shah on Sunday launched a ‘no-holds-barred’ attack on Odisha chief minister and Biju Janata Dal president Naveen Patnaik. He tagged the CM as “back-stabber,” “lazy” and a “non-performer” and called upon Odisha voters to replace him by energetic and young BJP leader.

“Naveen Patnaik has the habit of not respecting associates, backstabbing party leaders and removing those who stand as an entity by themselves. This is a weird form of politics that has taken birth during his regime,” Mr Shah alleged.

In fact, the Odisha CM has expelled almost all the founder members of the BJD in the past two decades to establish his one-upmanship in the party and government.

Addressing two separate public meetings at Polsara in Ganjam district and Bargarh, Mr Shah slammed Mr Patnaikover mining and chit fund scams and said that those involved in corrupt practices will be put behind bars if the saffron party is voted to power in Odisha and a “New Odisha” will be built.

“Chit fund scam flourished because of the protection provided to those involved in corrupt practices. We, after coming to power, will put them behind bars,” Mr Shah asserted.

A large number of innocent investors were taken for a ride. We, after coming to power, will put them behind bars,” he asserted Mr Shah also alleged that most of the senior leaders of the ruling-BJD were sidelined and the powers of the elected representatives have been handed over to the bureaucrats in the State.

“Bureaucrats, who have no understanding of people’s aspirations, are running the show in Odisha,” he alleged.

Odisha is lagging in drinking water, houses, healthcare, safety and security of women, education and several other fields despite being rich in resources, he reiterated.

Responding to the BJP chief’s allegations, BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra said the BJP manifesto for Odisha is another attempt of the saffron party to spread lies. The BJP had promised big in its 2014 election manifesto, but it was all a lie. In its current manifesto, the BJP is trying to hide some lies of its previous manifesto by giving a new look.

The political atmosphere in Odisha looks like a cauldron with all the major political parties leaving no stone unturned to show the rival as unfit and making large-ditch efforts to woo the voters. Besides, over the next three days prior to the first phase polls on April 11, the high-voltage campaign in the state is expected to reach a crescendo with heavyweights and star campaigners putting their best foot forward to garner votes.