Block chairperson hijacks MP Jay Panda's project inauguration

Kendrapara: An overhead water tank project in Purussottampur funded from MP Baijayant 'Jay' Panda's local area development (LAD) fund was inaugurated by the Marshaghai block chairperson today.

Marshaghai block chairperson, Sitalata Parida arrogated the inauguration of the project and claimed that Jay Panda has been suspended from the party and doesn't have the moral authority to inaugurate the project.

On the other hand, supporters of Jay Panda alleged that some of the party leaders are doing cheap politics at the behest of a non-Odia bureaucrat and efforts are on to take credit for someone else's project.

"Some local BJD leaders are playing cheap politics & trying to take credit for others' work. However, such things will not affect the MP and his developmental agenda for his constituency," said BJD's Kendrapara minority cell ex-president Md Salim Khan.

Later in the day MP Jay Panda responded to the incident by tweeting, "This is how low Pandian has taken the once proud BJD, first getting low level party members to *oppose* MPLAD-funded projects, & now "inaugurating" MPLAD projects themselves. MPLAD rules *require* the State Govt / Dist Admin to arrange this with concerned MP. Breakdown of system? (sic)."