Bhubaneswar/Cuttack: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday launched 'Mu Hero, Mu Odisha' campaign at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack and said that it will aim at identifying and recognising hidden talents. However, opposition parties alleged that the ruling-BJD government is trying to woo young voters in the State through this new campaign.
While the State government claims that 'Mu Hero, Mu Odisha' campaign aims at recognising hidden potential across Odisha, it is believed that the campaign is a plan of the government to target the young mass which is believed to be under the influence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charisma.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) alleged that the Naveen government has always been indifferent to the concerns of youths in the State and the new campaign is just an eyewash to cover-up its failure.
"He (CM Naveen) will make whom a hero? 1.31 lakh posts are still lying vacant in the State and this proves that he has intentionally made our young mass zeros," said OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik.
If the CM really wants to do something for the youths, he should first address these 'zeros;' the PCC chief dared the Chief Minister.
Odisha BJP also labelled the campaign as 'politically motivated' and accused the government of playing with the life and emotions of youths.
"Mu Hero, Mu Odisha might be the slogan of the BJD government for the upcoming general elections but it can never have any association with the hopes and aspirations of Odia youths," said Samir Mohanty, vice president of BJP's Odisha unit.
Commenting on BJP's allegation, former minister and BJD leader Arun Sahoo said, "This new campaign is one of the means to attract youths towards social service and transformation. It has become a tendency of the BJP to blame the State government on every other issue."
Meanwhile, 'Mu Hero, Mu Odisha' campaign will be a part of Biju Yuva Vahini, a voluntary programme that aims at promoting youths at grassroots level to be a part of various social and community engagement activities. Under the campaign, six specially-decorated vehicles will cover all 314 blocks and 113 urban local bodies over a period of four months.