Shah, after releasing the party's manifesto here, alleged that senior leaders of the ruling BJD have been sidelined and their rights are handed over to bureaucrats
Amit Shah
Bhubaneswar: BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday accused Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of having created a "bizarre" political culture of giving bureaucrats an edge over the powers of elected representatives. Shah, after releasing the party's manifesto here, alleged that senior leaders of the ruling BJD have been sidelined and their rights are handed over to bureaucrats.
"Odisha is being run without peoples' representatives, which is against the democratic spirit of the nation. "A 'vichitra' (bizarre) political culture has evolved during the tenure of Naveen Patnaik where rights of elected representatives' are being bestowed on officers," the BJP chief said. Pointing out that corruption has "spread from top to bottom" in Odisha, Shah said the malaise is pushing the state backward in all parameters.
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The BJP president said those involved in corrupt practices will be put behind bars if his party comes to power in Odisha. "While corruption was rampant in allocation of mines, chit fund scam flourished because of the protection provided to those involved in corrupt practices. "A large number of innocent and poor investors were taken for a ride. The BJP, after coming to power, will put them behind bars," he asserted.
Coming down heavily on the CM's style of dealing with party colleagues, Shah alleged, "Patnaik does not respect colleagues, and throws them out from the party one after another..." The people of Odisha had rejected the Congress in 2000, and brought the BJD government with the expectation that the regional party would meet their aspirations, he said. "But the BJD government has proved to be worse than the corrupt Congress government in the past," Shah alleged.
The BJP chief said lack of vision, lethargy, corruption and hunger for power are the hallmark of the BJD government, which has kept Odisha at the bottom of the development index. While appealing to the people to save the state from the BJD onslaught, Shah said, "Elect a government that works in tandem and does not clash with the Modi government." This is only possible if the people of Odisha bring a "double engine" government both in the state and at the Centre, he said.
The BJP manifesto for the state focuses on the welfare and empowerment of farmers, women, youth and the weaker sections of society, the BJP chief said. Assembly election in Odisha is slated to be held along with the Lok Sabha polls in four phases, beginning April 11. The state has 147 assembly and 21 LS seats.
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