BJD MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik slams 5T Secretary's Odisha tour; draws comparison with expenses of Chandrayaan 3 mission

Odisha 5T secretary VK Pandian is again in the target of BJD MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik who has made serious accusations in his latest editorial column. This time, the BJD lawmaker has raised several questions on the 5T secretary's whirlwind tours to different parts of the state.

Patnaik has also compared the expenses being incurred on the 5T secretary's visits with the recent India's Chandrayaan-3 mission. In his editorial, Patnaik has mentioned that around Rs 600 crore was spent on ISRO's Chandrayaan 3 and it is being alleged that similar expenses have been incurred for the 5T secretary's visit to almost 30 districts in the state.

Further, Patnaik has drawn a comparison between 5T secretary VK Pandian's behaviour with former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's secretary Yashpal Kapoor. It is pertinent to mention here that Allahabad High Court had declared Indira Gandhi's election invalid as Kapoor had helped in election works and gave political speech.

Patnaik highlighted that VK Pandian's act is no less than that of Kapoor's then. Such meetings ahead of crucial elections appear like a political one. Though people's representatives and political leaders are involved, they are missing from the dias. Only 5T secretary takes the centre stage on the dias during every meeting and it seems that all this is being done to create an identity for him, Patnaik's column read.

The BJD lawmaker has also written that whatever happened with MLA Pradeep Panigrahy recently in Ganjam is not at all good for the democracy.

Senior journalist, Sandeep Sahu said, "It appears that Soumya Ranjan Patnaik is mentally prepared for any disciplinary action from the party. It could also provide fodder to others within the BJD to put forth their views regarding the resentment at appropriate party forum."

Odisha BJP President Manmohan Samal praised Soumya Ranjan Patnaik for his editorial depsite being in the BJD and rightfully expressing the resement among the 4 crore people of the state.

"He (Soumya Patnaik) has brought out the truth. The BJD leaders are not able to speak anything and have been confined," said Samal.

On the recent attack on MLA Pradeep Panigrahy, Samal said, "Despite suspending him, BJD is fearing Panigrahy. It could be false case or some other reason. They do not have moral courage. One MLA is being stopped to visit his constituency. Such work was done by Indira Gandhi and she had to pay a price for it as well."

Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi said, " It seems that Soumya Ranjan Patnaik wants to take BJD on the right track. The secretary-level employee is launching himself by using the govt machinery. He will soon join politics and hence, launching himself on government money. People of Odisha have already understood this."

Responding to Patnaik's column, BJD leader Anubhav Patnaik tweeted, "In 15 days you (Soumya Patnaik) have written another article in your own newspaper which shows your extreme frustration and desperation for obvious reasons. You have mentioned that Secretary 5-T has in a meeting urged the people to make Naveen Patnaik the CM for the sixth term. I challenge you that within 12 hours you show it on your channel or in your newspaper where he has said it with evidence. If it turns out to be true I will resign from politics and if you cannot give evidence then people of Odisha will know that you are a liar (michua)."

BJD MLA Uma Samantaray said, "Nobody is opposing the 5T secretary's visit, rather thousands of people are supporting the development process. The secretary is hearing the grievances and steps are being taken on it. The Opposition does not have any work other than bringing such allegations."