Bhubaneswar: Alleging double standards, Senior BJP leader and Union Tribal Affairs Minister, Jual Oram today came down heavily on CM Naveen Patnaik saying the Odisha government is being run by corrupt and undemocratic people.
Speaking on the side-lines of a party programme in Sambalpur, Oram said the CM is ruling the state with the help of ‘corrupt’, ‘undemocratic’ and ‘selfish’ politicians and bureaucrats. Earlier he used to boast about his unblemished image and on many occasions terminated leaders on charges of corruption, Oram said.
Toeing on similar lines of expelled BJD leader Damodar Rout, Oram said leaders like Prasant Nanda, Nalini Mohanty, Kamala Das were removed from party on charges of corruption. But they were later inducted back into the party, he added.
Countering Oram’s allegations, BJD spokesperson, Debi Mishra said "If he knew that Naveen Babu was leading a team with very good leaders why he did not appreciate them then? The Union minister's comments are based on whims."
A few days earlier, BJP Vice-President, Sameer Mohanty had said, “Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is avoiding questions on corruption by terming it as interference in the internal affairs of his party. While corruption is rampant, the resources of the state are being looted. If the party members are involved in corruption, how can their leaders be clean,” Mohanty had said.