'Baijayant Panda's contribution to Haridaspur-Paradip railway line is immense'; BJP slams BJD's Atanu Sabyasachi for his remarks

The ruling BJD has the habit of hijacking and branding central schemes as its own. This time, the BJD and its leaders are eying to take credit for railway projects, alleged Kendrapara district vice-president Sanjay Rath on Tuesday.

Targetting BJD leader Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak for his recent remarks, Rath said that BJP National Vice-President and party’s Kendrapara Lok Sabha candidate Baijayant Panda’s contribution to the Haridaspur-Paradip railway line is immense.

At a presser in Kendrapara, Rath said Baijayant Panda had placed a demand for rail connectivity in the region in 2009. Subsequently, Panda actively pursued the demand and worked in coordination with senior officials in Delhi.

“From the project’s sanction, land acquisition to other processes, Panda was behind every aspect due to which railway services have now started in the region. Two days back, BJD’s Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak claimed that the project was possible due to the Odisha government. Nayak was MLA from Mahakalpada for 15 years and also held the portfolio of minister. But, till now, people are depending on boats to cross river due to proper connectivity and lack of bridges,” said Rath.

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In Odisha, the BJD has been in power for the last 25 years but the party has done nothing for the people of Mahakalpada. The concerned BJD leader (Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak) is only misleading people. During elections, big hoardings of steel plants and other projects are put up. But later all such hoardings vanish from the area, Rath said.

“It was due to Baijayant Panda’s initiatives that railway connectivity has been possible here. After the railway project, industries should have come up. But unfortunately, everything has remained in hoardings; BJD and its leader are only misleading people. Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak was health minister in the past. However, there is not a single good hospital in Kendrapara for critically ill patients. As a result, patients are usually shifted to Cuttack,” the BJP leader said.

Taking a jibe at Nayak, Rath further said that the BJD leader also held the portfolio as the energy minister but the power cut scenario in Kendrapara is worse and there are places in the region which are yet to get electricity.

Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak has failed to resolve even basic issues like road and health facilities. While being MP, Jay Panda constructed several projects like drinking water, stadiums and auditoriums among others in the area. Instead of branding Central schemes including railway projects as BJD's work, Atanau Sabyasachi Nayak and BJD should keep a record of what they have done in Mahakalpada and Kendrapara. People are very well aware of the reality of the railway project and they will give a befitting reply to Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak in the upcoming election, Rath added.

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