Bhubaneswar: Toeing the line of BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik's clarion call to the party youth workers at the executive meeting of Biju Yuva Janata Dal two days back, the regional party has followed the footprint of their leader while reiterating the central neglect, step-motherly treatment and negative approach of Centre towards Odisha.
The leaders of the regional party, while addressing the meeting of BJD’s executive body on Sunday at party headquarters, lashed out at the Centre in a manner similar to what their leader Naveen Patnaik made two days ago while addressing the executive body meeting of party's youth wing through a virtual route.
Odisha is not getting what it deserves and continues to face Central apathy, they alleged. The BJD will continue to fight for special category state status for Odisha.
"Our primary focus is to protect the interest of Odisha. We have pledged to check any bid to disrupt the federal structure and strengthen our party base to fight against the evil powers who are trying to harm State interest. We have passed a resolution in this regard", BJD vice vice-president Prasanna Acharya said.
The Executive body meeting has passed nine proposals including reservation for women in the Panchayati Raj system and 33% reservation in the State Assembly and Parliament. This apart, the party has approved the proposals of the promises the party had made in its manifesto during 2019 elections.
The Swaminathan Committee recommendations on Minimum Support Price (MSP) on agricultural products, which the BJD had accepted much earlier, is among other proposals approved at the meeting of the party’s apex decision-making body.
The BJD supremo, Naveen Patnaik on Friday spelled out a changed political strategy while addressing the executive body meeting of Biju Yuva Janata Dal through video conference.
While invoking regionalism, Patnaik launched a scathing attack on both BJP and Congress and raised his old slogan- Central negligence after a brief lull. Patnaik said that Congress leaders in the State are being remote-controlled by their central leadership while BJP also followed the direction of their central leaders in Delhi. Leaders of both parties don't have a voice for the State, Patnaik had said.