Odisha CM Majhi Launches Veiled Attack on Naveen Patnaik, Says BJP's Leadership Upsetting BJD

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday launched a veiled attack on leader of the opposition, Naveen Patnaik, and raised questions on the BJD president’s visit to muddy crop fields damaged due to unseasonal rains.

Referring to Patnaik’s extensive tour across five districts — Ganjam, Puri, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, and Kendrapara — and his interactions with rain-hit farmers, Majhi, without directly naming the BJD chief, said at a public function, "The leaders who were once living in ivory towers are now forced to visit muddy and dusty villages because of the BJP’s style of functioning. Seeing our party leaders and ministers’ style of working, they are now getting upset." Majhi alleged that those who had ruled the state for a long period were distant from the people. "I want to tell them, who were once confining themselves in ivory towers, that they don’t need to get upset seeing our style of working," he added.

While Majhi and his cabinet colleagues visited several rain-affected districts on December 29, Patnaik toured five districts on December 30 and 31.

In response to Majhi’s remark, senior BJD leader and Kendrapara MLA Ganeswar Behera claimed that the BJP was intimidated by the growing popularity of Patnaik.

"People in large numbers gather to see and talk to Patnaik when he visits villages. People welcome Naveen Babu and consider him a leader in need. Naveen’s popularity is the cause of concern for BJP leaders," Behera said.

"What the BJD could not do in the last 24 years, the BJP has done. They should stop enacting this political drama and cooperate with the work being done by the government for a developed Odisha," state law minister Pritihiviraj Harichandan said.