The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday traded barbs over BJD leader VK Pandian taking a swipe at Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan at a government programme in Angul and Dhenkanal.
The 5T Chairman launched a veiled attack on the Union Minister at a meeting in Dhamnagar on Wednesday. Today, again, he sharpened his attack on the Minister. While addressing gatherings at two meetings in Angul and Dhenkanal, he wanted to know what he (Dharmendra Pradhan) has done for the development of Angul and Dhenkanal districts.
“You couldn’t establish a school in your own area. You can’t establish a smart classroom in your village,” said the BJD leader targeting the Union Minister. He also targeted Pradhan over the delay in the completion of Cuttack-Sambalpur National Highway.
The BJP took no time to hit back at the BJD leader. “Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has arranged Rs 1500 crore from the centre for Talcher Medical College. He has a role in the development of National Highway 55. Please go and ask him (VK Pandian) how many people are migrating from Ganjam district, the CM’s district where he was once the Collector, in search of work,” said BJP leader and former MP, Rudranarayan Pani.
Similarly, state BJP President Manmohan Samal also trained his gun at the BJD. “They are at the peak of ego. But God never tolerates anyone’s ego. 34-year-old West Bengal’s (communist) government had to go to the Bay of Bengal. The Congress is not being able to be the Opposition party.”
Earlier in the day, the BJP’s Dhamnagar MLA Suryabanshi Suraj launched a scathing attack on VK Pandian over the latter taking a potshot at the former.
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However, reactions of VK Pandian or Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan couldn’t be obtained over the attack and counter-attack.
On the other hand, taking the side of his government, BJD MLA Amar Satpathy said, “Those who are opposing the government don’t have relationship with the people. They are like Siberian birds. They won’t stay for long. But the BJD is with the people and the people have accepted the leadership of Naveen Patnaik wholeheartedly.