Bhubaneswar: A day after the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik raised his old slogan-central negligence, the State unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday lashed out at the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president, terming his statements as a ploy to divert public attention from various sensitive issues that have tarnished the face of State government in public.
The BJP said that the regional party doesn't have any particular agenda to develop the State and neither any intent to protect the legitimate interest of Odisha.
Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Pratap Sarangi said that Odisha has been getting what it deserves since the Narendra Modi-led BJP government came to power at the Centre.
"But, the funds released by the Centre are not being utilised properly in the State. Land acquisition is not being properly undertaken for expediting central projects in Odisha. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given maximum priorities to Odisha since he assumed office. If development is not taking place in Odisha, only BJD needs to take the blame, because it has maximum MPs in the Parliament," Sarangi maintained.
The Central negligence slogan is a ploy to get rid of the rising public outcry against the BJD, he added.
Congress, on the other hand, has observed no difference between the two parties. It said that BJP and BJD continue to remain friends inside but foes outside.
"Every time they (BJD) used to blame that the Central government is not giving the share of the State. But, the same voice is not heard in the last six years. That itself shows that the BJD is a B-team of BJP," said Chella Kumar, the Congress in-charge of Odisha.
Political analysts observe that sudden change of guard by the BJD supremo might be a forced-move to save his own image after facing backlash from the central parties over many issues.
"When a message started doing round that BJD has inclined towards BJP, the regional party suddenly woke up, apprehending that such a message may turn suicidal for the party in future. Moreover, the Central parties - BJP and Congress have sharpened their attack on the BJD-led State government recently over various issues. It might have prompted the BJD president to make anti BJP-Congress remarks," senior journalist Prasanna Mohanty said.
The continuous attack by BJP and Congress on state government, allegations of 'Babu Raj' levelled by Oppositions, intra-party squabble over diminishing leaders' aura in BJD and BJP's 'Mission Bengal' are a few subjects that persuaded the BJD supremo to counter-attack the big parties.
The BJD, however, has kept its stand intact with the slogan of central negligence. "Despite central negligence, the BJD is committed to taking forward the State. The State is marching ahead on a path of development even by coming across many challenges, hurdles and central apathy," BJD vice-president and MLA Debi Prasad Mishra said.
It is worth mentioning that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, while addressing the state executive meet of Biju Yuva Janata Dal on Friday, criticised the BJP and Congress parties in State saying that they are remote-controlled by their central leadership. Patnaik said that only a regional party can fight for the interest of the state.
While highlighting the central neglect, Patnaik also espoused regionalism by lauding the rich diversity of State, handloom products, Odisha's own classical dance form-Odissi, Odia language and local dialect.