Bhubaneswar, (Orissa Today) May 15: In a fervent bid to bolster the Biju Janata Dal’s (BJD) campaign in Odisha’s dual elections, party leader and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik embarked on a string of poll rallies, launching a blistering assault on opposition factions.
Kicking off his campaign in Rourkela, Sundargarh district, Patnaik intensified his critique of opposing parties, particularly targeting the BJP, accusing them of deceiving the populace.
Alleging that the opposition’s concern for Odisha is insincere, the Chief Minister urged voters to support the BJD without being swayed by opposition rhetoric. “The opposition is peddling falsehoods and shedding crocodile tears,” he declared, lambasting the BJP-led Central government for its alleged neglect of Odisha and its people.
Highlighting the BJP’s unfulfilled pledges to Odisha’s populace in previous elections, Patnaik alleged that despite holding power at the Center for a decade, the BJP has failed to deliver on its commitments to the state’s progress. Reinforcing the BJD’s pledge of providing free electricity for up to 100 units, the Chief Minister assured voters that if the regional party secures power, they will not receive electricity bills starting July this year. “Consider this Naveen Patnaik’s electricity guarantee,” he asserted, rallying wholehearted support for BJD candidates.
Enumerating the array of developmental and welfare initiatives undertaken by the BJD government, Patnaik sought public feedback on schemes such as Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), Mission Shakti, Mamata Yojana, LAccMI Bus, and the Kalia scheme for farmers, gauging their perception of these programs.
