Even as the political temperatures across Odisha are soaring due to intense campaigning, an interesting and intriguing statement of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Samir Mohanty made the atmosphere a little hotter on Wednesday.
Mohanty said, "All leaders in the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) are not ‘kritadasas’ (slaves), but there are many Eknath Shindes (Chief Minister of Maharashtra who deserted the Shiv Sena)”
The BJP veteran’s statement came just hours after BJD leader VK Pandian held a presser, accusing the BJP of trying to engineer a split in the BJD. Pandian also voiced his apprehension saying that if the BJP wrests 40 to 50 Assembly seats in Odisha, it will pull down the BJD government.
'BJD's Ground Under its Feet is Collapsing'
Making a pointed attack on Pandian, the former president of the Odisha BJP asked,"When did the gumasta(house manager) to the Chief Minister become a psephologist? Pandian is remote-controlling the video of the Chief Minister."
“If Pandian admits that the BJP will win 50 Assembly seats, he will come to know what it is going to happen on June 4,” he added.
“All BJD leaders are not kritadasas, but many of them are Eknath Shindes who are in constant touch with us. The BJD knows well that the ground under its feet is caving in. Our party president had earlier said about these Eknath Shindes. What is said is not new,” he observed.
He further stated that those belonging to Odisha soil and who have an attachment with Odia pride, identity and glory will not stay as kritadasas.
BJD leader Swarup Das said: “Many are daydreaming about power. But given the political scenario now, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will come to power again with the support of all.”