People of Odisha have decided to bid goodbye to Naveen Patnaik: Shah

Soroda (Odisha), May 15 (PTI) Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday asserted that people of Odisha have made up their mind to “bid goodbye” to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who “pushed the state back by 50 years during the BJD’s 25-year rule”.

Addressing an election rally at Soroda under the Aska Lok Sabha constituency in Ganjam, Shah also claimed that the state is being run by “outsiders” instead of elected representatives.

“Naveen babu is not coming back this time after the elections as the people have decided to bid him goodbye,” Shah said, asserting that a BJP leader will now become chief minister of Odisha.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has enhanced the reputation of Odisha across the world... However, in 25 years of BJD rule, Naveen babu pushed the state back 50 years,” he said.

Shah said the BJP-led central government made daughter of Odisha’s soil Droupadi Murmu as the country’s President, and released a coin and a commemorative stamp on the ‘Paika’ (peasant soldier) rebellion.

The PM had also installed a replica of the Konark Wheel (at Sun temple in Odisha) in the background of the dias where he greeted world leaders during the G20 summit in Delhi, he said, seeking to evoke the ‘Odia asmita’ (pride) among electors.

Criticising Patnaik for Odisha’s “under development”, Shah said the BJD government did not implement the ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ and Ayushman Bharat schemes in the state, “fearing that the initiatives may make Modi ji popular among people”.

“The BJP will implement these schemes in Odisha after it comes to power in the state... Nearly 6,412 villages in the state have no roads and if the BJP forms government, roads will be built in every village within two years,” he said.

The home minister hit out at the BJD government over the Heritage Corridor Project in Puri, alleging that temples and mutts were demolished during its construction.

“We will also make public the judicial commission report on the missing keys of Puri Jagannath temple's Ratna Bhandar within six days of forming government in Odisha,” Shah asserted.

The senior BJP leader slammed Patnaik for “adopting different methods to stop people from participating in the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya”.

“I want to tell Naveen babu that those who obstructed the Sri Ram Utsav will never be forgiven by the people of Odisha,” Shah said.

He also took a dig at Patnaik for printing the CM’s photographs and the BJD symbol on rice bags meant for the poor.

Hailing PM Modi, Shah said he ended terrorism and Naxalism in India. “You have given 25 years to Naveen babu, just give five years to Modi and see the change,” the senior BJP leader told the rally. PTI BBM AAM RBT