Kendrapara: BJP National Vice President Baijayant Jay Panda came down strongly on BJD president Naveen Patnaik for his remarks during declaration of the third phase candidate list including Kendrapara Lok Sabha segment here on Wednesday.
In what is being tagged by political analysts as a vindictive and vendetta-driven behaviour of the Odisha CM, the statement intended at Jay Panda, was strongly responded to by the senior BJP leader through twitter. While announcing Anubhav Mohanty as the party's Kendrapara Lok Sabha candidate against Jay Panda, Naveen Patnaik stated that Mohanty “will be only working for interests of the people of Kendrapara and he will have nothing to hide in his affidavit like the earlier one (Panda) working for a mining company.”
Strongly responding to Naveen's comments, Panda expressed shock stating that he never thought the CM would stoop so low.
The former parliamentarian in a tweet mentioned that at least Naveen should be aware of his (Jay Panda) family's 60-year-old industry with which late Biju Patnaik was very familiar and dependent, for decades.
"Didn't think Naveen wd stoop so low. He of all ppl should be aware of my family's 60yr old industry, with which late Biju uncle was very familiar, & dependent, for decades," stated Jay Panda.
Further, Panda stated that he (unlike the BJD chief) has never been involved in granting mining leases to companies one year before they were formed. "Also, I have never been involved in granting mining leases to companies one year before they were formed," mentioned Panda in his tweet.
It may be noted here that an impleadment application was filed in the Supreme Court on Monday, seeking expedition of the CBI investigation in a coal block allocation case in which an inquiry was pending against Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Sources said Patnaik had allegedly shown undue favours by allocating 98 coal blocks to a mining company during his stint as Union Minister of Steel & Mines under the then NDA government.