Naveen’s betrayal to be BJP’s poll plank: Sushma

BHUBANESWAR | Tuesday, March 17, 2009 | Email | Print |


Naveen’s betrayal to be BJP’s poll plank: Sushma

PNS | Bhubaneswar

The BJP on Monday announced that BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik's act of betrayal would be the main plank in the ensuing election. "Naveen Patnaik, as an individual, has betrayed the party as well as the people of Orissa," said BJP star campaigner Sushma Swaraj while launching the Vijay Sankalp Samavesh here at Lower PMG Square.

Launching the election campaign for the party, Swaraj targeted BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik. "Naveen Patnaik is a traitor. The people of Orissa, like that of Karnataka, will teach the Naveen-led Government a lesson," she said, adding that the people would never accept the act of cheating. Ten days after the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) snapped ties with the decade-old coalition partner, the BJP launched its poll campaign.

In a bid to expose Naveen's inability to learn Oriya even after 11 years in power in the State, Sushma started her introductory speech in Oriya language. "On BJP's strength, Naveenbabu has been able to remain in power for such a long day. With the spilt of the alliance, he would no more be able to come to the power again," she said.

Terming the breaking off alliance as a blessing in disguise, she said on the direction of the Atal Behari Vajpayee and LK Advani, the party workers in the State tolerated everything silently. "Even after the brutal murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, the party's central leadership maintained maximum restraint. But now time has come to raise each issue," she said, adding that once the BJP came to power in Orissa, steps would be taken to arrest the accused involved in the murder of Saraswati.

Urging the party activists to take a pledge to throw the Naveen-led Government out of power, she said the people's anger would be converted into ballot in ensuing election.

Later addressing a Press conference, Swaraj said issues like inflation, UPA Government's inability to tackle terrorism, attack on the Hindu values by ignoring the very existence of the Ram would be the main election planks. "The recent rise in prices of essential commodities has made the life of poor people miserable," she said adding that loss of employment would be one of the major election planks of the party.

Terming the UPA as coalition of unlimited prime ministerial candidates, she said it would never take birth.

She also pointed out how the BJD, in a desperate move to remain in power, contacted the leaders of the Third Front. "When Jaya Panda and Naveen Babu came to attend a dinner meeting hosted by the NDA, they were welcomed with a great heart. But the time has changed. Now they were going to attend the dinner party with a plea that they should be accommodated in their camp," she chuckled.

She also hinted that BJP would introduce rice at Rs 1 per kg. "We have successfully introduced these schemes in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh," she said, adding the AIIMS would be completed in Orissa within three years if BJP came to power. On the issue of projecting a chief ministerial candidate, she said the Parliamentary Board would take a decision to this effect later.

Speaking at the rally, BJP Rajya Sabha member Chandan Mitra said the people of Orissa would teach the betrayer a lesson. Among others, State BJP president Suresh Pujari, BJP Legislature Party leader Biswabhusan Harichandan, national vice-president Jual Oram and national general secretary Dharmendra Pradhan spoke on the occasion.

Eminent Singer Subas Das with his song charged up the atmosphere.

On the other hand, BJD secretary general Damador Rout said it was the BJP which betrayed the BJD and not vice-versa. "They (BJP leaders) should not have run to the Governor's House immediately," he said.

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