Bhubaneswar: In a new twist to the prevailing potato crisis in Odisha, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Thursday blamed the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for “playing dirty politics over the tuber” to defame the BJP government in the state.
Speaking to the media today, Patra alleged that an artificial scarcity of potatoes has been created to defame the state government. Stating that he was clueless about the politics by West Bengal Chief Minister, he said, “I fail to understand why Mamata Banerjee first stopped the supply of potatoes to Odisha and later agreed to restore the supply.”
According to the Minister, the price of the kitchen essential is currently normal in the market and it will decrease further in the coming days.
“The artificial scarcity of potatoes was made to defame the state government. The West Bengal Chief Minister initially refused to continue the supply. However, she agreed to restore the supply later. I don’t know why she is resorting to this kind of politics,” said Patra.
“We don’t have scarcity of potatoes anymore. When the availability reduces, there is a price rise. Now, potatoes are in adequate supply in the market and the price has become almost normal. It will be reduced further in the coming days,” the Minister added.
