2 weeks ago
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The Biju Janata Dal has reacted sharply to its criticism by Bharatiya Janata Party president J. P. Nadda and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saying their ‘ranting’ would not have any impact on electoral outcome in Odisha.
“Mr. Gandhi visited Odisha on Sunday and addressed an election rally in Salepur in Cuttack district. His visit will not have any impact on the electoral fortunes of Odisha Congress,” said Sasmit Patra, BJD’s national spokesperson here.
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Mr. Patra on a sarcastic note said, it would surely motivate the demotivated Congress cadre which had been losing the elections consistently.
The regional party also took strong exceptions to attack by Mr. Nadda in the public meeting. “I was shocked to see BJP national president and Pradeep Panigrahi in the same dais. Mr. Panigrahi is a charge-sheeted criminal who cheated people in the cash for jobs scam. He was in jail for months together, Court has framed charges against him,” said Bhrugu Baxipatra, BJD’s candidate for Berhampur Lok Sabha seat.
“I was in BJP for 23 years. I joined BJP because I thought it was a party with a difference. We had all agitated against Pradeep Panigrahi for his misdeeds including money for jobs scam. I was shocked and dismayed when the party took a criminal like Pradeep Panigrahi with open arms against whose misdeeds we were regularly agitating. It has shocked the BJP cadres in Odisha and also demoralised them,” said Mr. Baxipatra.
He asked, “when Mr. Nadda talked about Odia Asmita (pride), do people like Pradeep Panigrahi and Prashant Jagdev and other charge-sheeted criminals who were thrown out by BJD and welcomed by BJP with open arms? Is this symbol of Odia Asmita?”
“Are they the poster boys of BJP’s Odia Asmita that the party is showing to the people of Odisha. The people of Berhampur and Odisha are laughing and the Odisha BJP cadres are shocked. I was saddened and dismayed by this hypocrisy of BJP the party for which I gave 23 years of my life,” Mr. Baxipatra said.
