Naveen failed to protect State interests: BJP

Naveen failed to protect State interests: BJP


BHUBANESWAR: The BJP today slammed the Centre for showering favours on Andhra Pradesh like Polavaram project and blamed the ruling BJD for failing to protect the State interests.


Addressing activists of the BJP Yuva Morcha who staged a dharna near Raj Bhawan protesting Polavaram, senior leaders of the party blamed Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his failure to take up the issue with the Centre in right earnest.

Former minister BB Harichandan said the Chief Minister did the gravest mistake by ignoring the invitation of his Andhra counterpart for a discussion on the multipurpose irrigation project. Things could have been different had the two discussed the issue. Now Patnaik is shedding crocodile tears over Polavaram to divert attention of the people. But the people have seen though the game, he said.

Senior BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra said the Chief Minister was still ignorant about the Polavaram project and not sure about the extent of damage the project will do to Malkangiri district. Even though the Chief Minister is holding the Water Resources portfolio for more than 11 years, he has not yet visited the areas likely to be affected by the Andhra Pradesh project, he remarked.

What is galling is that Naveen is not taking Cabinet colleagues into confidence on major issues including Polavaram. Since Polavaram is an interstate issue and the Centre is siding with Andhra Pradesh, the Chief Minister should discuss the issue at an allparty meeting and elicit opinion of senior citizens and intellectuals.

Describing the series of 'Save Orissa' rallies, organised by the BJD, as an attempt to cover up the multicrore mining scam and its failure to protect the interest of Vedanta, former party president Suresh Pujari and general secretary Nayan Kishore Mohanty said the people of the State will not forgive the Government if any part of the State is affected by the Andhra Pradesh project.

The BJP Yuva Morcha took out a rally under the leadership of morcha president Bibhuti Jena in the city and staged a dharna near Raj Bhawan. The Morcha submitted a memorandum, addressed to the President of India, to the Governor.


http://expressbuzz.com/states/orissa/naveen-failed-to-protect-state-interests-bjp/208985.html