Bhubaneswar: Odisha BJP today launched a scathing attack on the Congress for shielding the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government during the monsoon session of the Assembly due to which the Bomikhal flyover collapse could not be debated.
Alleging that the Congress and BJD have an unholy nexus since 2009, BJP, in a press conference here at the party headquarters, said the Congress intentionally raised the issue of oil price on the last day of the session in the Assembly to save the Naveen government.
Speaking at the conference, BJP Padampur MLA Pradeep Purohit said it was earlier decided under the Business Advisory Committee of the Assembly under Leader of the Opposition Narasingha Mishra to discuss on the Bomikhal and Works department issue.
However, instead of ensuring a peaceful discussion on the crucial issue, the Congress leaders came up with the fuel price rise issue out of nowhere and saved the BJD government from being exposed of its faults. “Both the parties have close links; there's no doubt about it," alleged Purohit.
The BJD has been using Congress to stay in power. Earlier, Bhupinder Singh quit Congress and joined BJD. He was welcomed with open arms even though he was one of the main political rivals of BJD minister Pradeep Maharathy, said the legislator.
“We are not against the protest on price hike being raised by the Congress. It’s the rights of every political party in a democracy. But the people of Odisha were eagerly waiting to listen to the answers of the CM on the Bomikhal issue. But the CM used the Congress and save himself and the image of his party as one of his ministers has close links and deals with the errant construction company Panda Infra,” the MLA added.
On the other hand, BJD spokesperson Amar Sathpathy said the BJP has no issue to raise and is unnecessary blaming the government. “BJD has done everything on its part post the Bomikhal collapse,” he said.
Similarly, Congress chief whip in Odisha assembly Tara Prasad Bahinipati said BJD and BJP had been in coalition and they still secretly have a nexus.
“Today’s press meet of BJP is their effort to save oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The prices of petrol and diesel have been on the rise. And when Congress raised the issue in the Assembly, they became impatient and now their intolerance is open in public,” said Bahinipati.
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