Kendrapara: BJP's Kendrapara Lok Sabha candidate Baijayant 'Jay' Panda once again lashed out at the ruling BJD in Odisha on Thursday stating that goondaism, rampant corruption and violence against women could only be stopped if the saffron party is voted to power in the State.
Addressing a public gathering in Tarat under Mahanga today, the BJP vice president said, "If BJP forms government in Odisha, goondagiri, corruption and the rapes will stop. The hooligans need to be given a befitting reply and people can do this by voting for BJP on April 29."
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who was also present at the meeting, took a jibe at Odisha CM and BJD president Naveen Patnaik on his statement that PM Narendra Modi would be invited to the swearing in ceremony of the BJD government in the State and said that BJP will form the government in Odisha; and the swearing in ceremony will be attended by PM Modi along with chief ministers of several other states.
"Naveen will also be invited to the ceremony as the former CM of Odisha. He will also be given a seat beside PM Modi during the ceremony. Naveen babu is in despair, especially after the huge response that BJP got in the coastal area which he (Naveen) thought was his fortress," Pradhan said.
People in the coastal region are revolting against the 19-year rule of Naveen as they are still suffering due to lack of drinking water, irrigation facilities, employment opportunities, unabated increase in violence against women and hooliganism, added Pradhan.
Elections to the Kendrapara LS seat is one of the most talked about contests and heavyweights are leaving no stone unturned to please voters.
While BJP candidate Baijayant Panda believes that the development works he carried out during his stint as MP in the last 10 years will ensure victory, BJD candidate Anubhav Mohanty hopes 'Brand Naveen' will help him win the seat. Congress candidate Dharanidhar Nayak is playing the 'maati ra pua' (son of the soil) card to woo voters.
"I will prefer a people's leader and the one who can work for the society," said one Kirti Chandra Jena, a voter of Kendrapara LS constituency.
"It's difficult to say who will win in Kendrapara. I will prefer a leader who can work for us, for the village and the municipality," said Pradeep Kumar Nayak, another voter from the constituency.