Cabinet reshuffle only in the interest of BJD: BJP

Bhubaneswar: A day after the oath taking ceremony and allocation of portfolios to new ministers in Odisha, the State BJP today came down heavily on chief minister Naveen Patnaik accusing him of making Cabinet reshuffle only in the interest of his party.

"The Cabinet reshuffle is not for the welfare of the State, but for BJD", BJP spokesperson Sajjan Sharma said at a press meet here.

Leveling allegations against the newly inducted ministers, BJP leader Sharma said those who are embroiled in controversies have been given berth in ministry. "The man, who is facing charges of Swargadwar and Sipasarubali land encroachment and had conspired to give forest land to Vedanta, has been given Revenue portfolio. The CM has given the Law department to a person who is known as a law breaker and had defied to submit the details of his wife's property list to Election Commission", he added.

Similarly, the man who is responsible for failure of tiger project in State has become the Forest minister in the cabinet, Sharma alleged. The matter of concern is that the CM has given Agriculture department to such a person who mocks at the farmers and is least worried about farmers' suicide.

The saffron leader further stated that the CM kept some backward districts unrepresented in the Cabinet as the people in these districts voted for BJP. Even some districts, which Biju Babu laid emphasis on, have not been taken into consideration during the reshuffle.