Bhubaneswar: At a time when the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) was going gaga on Monday over 'Ideal CM’ award bagged by CM and party president Naveen Patnaik, major opposition parties including Congress and BJP fired salvos at the ruling party alleging it to be a 'sponsored 'award.
Addressing a press conference in Bhubaneswar, BJP spokesperson Pitambar Acharya claimed that it is a tactical ploy by ruling BJD to infuse new spirit among its party workers who are disheartened by BJP's rise in Odisha.
"BJD is a master in arranging awards as earlier last year CM had won Best Administrator award. Now ‘Ideal CM’ award speaks volumes about how the regional party and the CM are desperate, "said Acharya.
Acharya claimed that the BJD had spent crores to buy copies of Outlook Magazine which conferred the Best Administrator award last year.
The entire administration and development of Odisha has come to a standstill in the past 20 years of BJD rule. It is not Naveen Patnaik's fault rather it is a coterie that has to be blamed, he added.
Congress on the other hand questioned how CM Naveen Patnaik can be the 'Ideal CM' when the government is entangled in controversies over border dispute and sharing of river water.
"When we are not trying to protect our territory and water resources, the grounds on which Naveen Patnaik was selected as the ideal Chief Minister by the jury is not understood," said Congress leader Sarat Rout.
BJD spokesperson Amar Satpathy stated that the opposition parties instead of introspecting about their failures in recent Zilla Parishad and Panchayat polls are creating unnecessary fuss.
Senior BJD leader and spokesperson Pratap Deb advised BJP not to indulge in mudslinging and first consult their senior leaders including Murali Manohar Joshi and Maharastra CM Devendra Fadnavis who were part of the jury which selected Naveen as the ideal CM.