Maharathy ridicules Shah's Odisha visits

Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the BJP national president Amit Shah's Odisha visit slated for next month, senior BJD leader and Panchayati Raj Minister Pradeep Maharathy today ridiculed his frequent Odisha tours terming them that they would have no impact on the regional party.

"We are not bothered about the visits of Shah. We have Lord Jagannath's blessings (Jagannath Saha). They have guarded the booth in the name of 'Mo Booth Sabuthu Majboot', but we have kept a close watch on every ward. They should not forget that a booth consists of four wards," Maharathy said.

He further claimed that BJD will undoubtedly return to power in State. "We have made a clean sweep in the recent election in Deogarh. In Komna, BJP State president Basant Panda was trounced in own area. So, victory is always in favour of Naveen only" Maharathy added.

In a strong response to the Pipili legislator, BJP State president Basant Panda lambasted the BJD and its leaders for behaving like dictators.

"Naveen Patnaik considers himself as a dictator and his followers are giving remarks like this. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is in the clutches of arrogance now," Basant Panda said.

"They win due to massive use of money, muscles and gross misutilisation of power in only one constituency. That doesn't mean they are guaranteed of victory all over Odisha. Maharathy perhaps doesn't know the meaning of Lord Jagannath," Panda maintained.

The rising popularity of Modi and Shah has scared the BJD, he pointed out.

BJP on Sunday informed that party national president will visit the State again in September.

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