Bhubaneswar: The contradictory statements of the BJP Central leaders Amit Shah and Arun Jaitley on Naveen Patnaik led BJD government in Odisha has raised many an eyebrows in the political circles here in Odisha.
On one hand, the Bharatiya Janata party’s (BJP) national president Amit Shah made scathing remarks on the BJD government in his address at the ‘Jana Jagaran Mahasamavesh’ in Bhubaneswar held on November 25, and on other hand, Arun Jaitley, the Union Finance Minister was in high praises of the same government in his address at the ‘Make In Odisha’ conclave.
Amit Shah tore into the failures of the BJD government, which has been in power in Odisha for the past 17 years, on various fronts with a bunch of statistical data and urged the party workers to toil hard to throw the BJD government out.
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, while gracing the ‘Make In Odisha’ as the chief guest on Thursday said, Odisha has managed to bring down the number of poor by half in the two decades.
Stating that Odisha is a test case for the India’s growth story, Jaitley said, “How fast the transformation of Odisha takes place is the touchstone of how India is growing.”
To add fuel to the fire, he had his luncheon at the Naveen Niwas.
Narasingh Mishra, Leader of Opposition, has termed this as a proof that there are ties between BJP and BJD.
“Amit Shah questioned Naveen Patnaik and Arun Jaitley answered it on his behalf. When there are so many innocent deaths in Malkangiri, the government is spending around 45 crores for feasting of industrialists from all over India. If that amount would have been spent in Malkangiri, then it could have saved at least 45 innocent lives,” opined Narasingh Mishra alleging that they were not even invited to that conclave.
Basant Panda, BJP President, Odisha, on the other hand, defended his leaders by saying that BJP was always very clear in its thoughts and actions. Amit Shah had pointed out the shortcomings of the BJD government and had asked the party workers to work accordingly. But Arun Jaitley as a Union Minister is committed to the development of the State and on those contexts had shown the abilities of the State to develop.
On the ties between BJP and BJD, BJD spokesperson Surya Narayan Patra, said that they have maintained equal distance from BJP and Congress. As for Arun Jaitley’s remarks, he said, “Arun Jaitley being the Finance Minister has rightly pointed out the attempts of Odisha to bring investment from all over the country, He felt that Odisha is progressing, so he praised. Whereas Amit Shah must have said those unwelcome remarks under political pressure to mislead the people ahead of panchayat polls.”