Bhubaneswar: Neither double nor single, only Naveen Babu’s engine will run in Odisha always, Naveen’s engine is the strongest, asserted bureaucrat-turned-senior BJD leader Kartik Pandian.
Addressing a mammoth election rally at Nuapada today Pandian questioned the logic behind BJP’s slogan for a double-engine government.
“If the double engine is so good, then why the engine is changing time and again in neighbouring Chhattisgarh?” asked Pandian.
Without naming Basant Panda, BJP MP from Kalahandi, the senior BJD leader asked what has he done in the last five years.
“His efficiency can be judged after seeing the Nuapada-Bhawanipatna national highway, till today its two-lane. The condition of the road is very bad. Several panchayats in Nuapada don’t have a mobile network. This is your MP’s work. See Naveen Babu’s Biju Expressway and the Central government’s national highway, you can mark the difference yourself,” Pandian pointed out.
He said that he had visited the district on the Chief Minister’s instructions and now he has been directed by the former to give an account of what work has been carried out on their grievances.
“Works worth Rs.131 crore have been undertaken. During Covid times, I came here and reviewed the development of the District Hospital. Rs 4 crore for Jogeswar temple and Rs 2.60 crore for Sunadei temple of Nuapada have been sanctioned. Rs 42 crore has been given for the Konabira Major Lift Irrigation Project. Likewise, Rs 132 crore has been given for other five mega lift irrigation projects. Rs 208 Crore has been given for the Biju Express Way between Ghatipada and Sinapali. More than ten thousand students are staying in 93 tribal hostels. More than 3100 Mission Shakti Groups have received Rs 130 crore interest-free loans. More than 84,000 beneficiaries have been covered under the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana. Multipurpose indoor halls have been built at Nuapada and Khariar with an investment of Rs.12 crore. An assistance of Rs.6.3 crore has been provided to the 42,055 Kendu leaf beneficiaries. Moreover, 36 Ama Banks have started functioning,” Pandian said listing out the development works undertaken by the Odisha government under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
He was given a rousing welcome in Khariar where people showered their affection through a 12-kilometer-long roadshow from Khariar Road to Nuapada. Thousands of people gathered to welcome him.
Pandian told the gathering that their presence in huge numbers is giving sleepless nights to the Opposition.
He appealed to the people to vote for the Biju Janata Dal Lok Sabha candidate from Kalahandi Lambodhar Nial and Assembly candidates Rajendra Dholakia from Nuapada, Puspendra Singhdeo from Dhamagarh and Dibya Sankar Mishra from Junagarh.
