All India Congress Committee (AICC) President, Mallikarajun Kharge came down heavily on the BJD and the BJP on various issues during his visit to Odisha on Thursday.
Raising the issue of migration, the Congress veteran said, “The people of Odisha have not developed even though the BJD has been ruling the state for the last 24 years. According to the ILO report, unemployment is high in Odisha. The problem has reached its peak as people have to migrate to other states in search of livelihood due to a lack of jobs in Odisha. What kind of development have you done?”
Addressing a presser in Bhubaneswar, Kharge also asked why there is migration in Odisha and people are hit by spiralling prices of commodities.
“Odisha has everything. A person despite being in power for 24 years is not thinking of the people of Odisha. Minerals are being plundered here. For such a situation in Odisha, the BJP is more responsible. The Chief Minister along with the BJP has destroyed the state,” he lamented.
Kharge pointed out, “The BJP is claiming to win over 400 Lok Sabha seats, but from where they will get these seats. The much-talked-about Modi guarantee will not work this time.”
He asserted that Congress is putting up a fight to save the Constitution and keep the country united.
“The people have changed their mind and will bring the Congress back to power. Our manifesto will be implemented after the INDIA bloc comes to power,” he added.
People believe in Modi Guarantee: BJP
Countering the Congress charge, BJP candidate Pradeep Purohit said, "Wherever I go, I hear about Modiji. They say ‘ab ki baar 400 paar.’ Kharge says Modi has done nothing. In the last 10 years, the NDA government and Prime Minister Modi have set up Ram Mandir, scrapped Article 370 and increased MSP to Rs 3,100 per quintal of paddy in Chhattisgarh.”
He added that people believe in the Modi guarantee.
However, no reaction was received from the BJD.