ROURKELA: Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday came down heavily on the BJP for trying to set hurdles in the way of KALIA scheme and warned that he would not allow the party to succeed at any cost.
Holding a roadshow covering seven Assembly segments in the Sundargarh Lok Sabha constituency which go to polls in the second phase on April 18, Naveen accused the BJP Government in the Centre of conspiring to close the scheme.
“As long as I am there, no one can close KALIA,” he asserted and said the BJD Government after returning to power will immediately transfer two pending installments of Rs 10,000 to KALIA beneficiaries. In his trademark style, he asked people “Apana Mane Khusi Ta” and to a loud cheer by the audience, he replied, “Mu Bhi Bahut Khusi”. Addressing five election rallies in the constituency, Naveen alleged that the BJP had failed to deliver on its promises to people of Sundargarh.
Although the Centre had promised to revise the coal royalty five years back, it has not done so till now. When Centre received thousands of crores of rupees from coal-rich Sundargarh, the district got only dust and pollution, he said.
He said Central leaders who only remember Odisha during election time need to be asked what happened to promise of second bridge over Brahmani river and Rourkela Super Specialty Hospital.
Naveen further said Sundargarh has a Cabinet Minister but he does not let his high command know of these facts. “People of Odisha are my high command. Women are the real double engine of development and my party has given them their due rights,” he said.
Striking an emotional chord, Naveen said the 4.5 crore Odia people are his family. “Till my last breath I will continue to serve you.”
Seeking votes for Sunita Biswal from Sundargarh Lok Sabha constituency, he told people that she would fight for the rights of Sundargarh district at Delhi. He also campaigned for the party candidates in seven Assembly constituencies.
At Tileikani of Balishankar block in Talsara Assembly constituency, which has produced many Odia tribal hockey stars, Naveen said Sundargarh is the breeding ground of hockey which has put Odisha in the limelight. The BJD supremo also promised all support to boost hockey in the district. However, hockey icon and former Rajya Sabha Member of BJD Dilip Tirkey of Balishankara block was not present during the campaigning.
The Chief Minister had to cut short his road show in Rourkela and parts of RN Pali segments due to paucity of time which left his followers dejected.