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Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders have backed Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s decision to skip the swearing-in ceremony of HD Kumaraswamy in Bengaluru on Wednesday claiming that the Janata Dal (Secular) and Congress have “little influence” in Odisha.
Claiming that former prime minister and JD(S) leader H D Deve Gowda had personally invited Patnaik, a BJD MLA from coastal Odisha, without wishing to be named, said: “He (Patnaik) is right in staying away. None of the parties attending the ceremony in Karnataka have any influence in Odisha. Not even the Congress. What sense does it make to stand with them?”
An MP from the party said, “The Karnataka election has revealed that 2019 will be politically volatile. It’s good that the CM is keeping a safe distance from all parties. We don’t want a situation where the Congress or BJP get to say that we are close to either party.”
This comes a day after Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram had accused the BJD and the Congress of having a “tactical understanding” in the state. In a press conference, Oram accused the Congress of “surrendering or selling its vote (share) to the BJD”.
The BJP’s Odisha unit has also released a chargesheet against the BJD accusing it in 36 instances of corruption — chit fund, mining and agricultural loans scams.
Replying to Oram, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik asked, “Who was in alliance with BJP for nine years?” The BJP and BJD had shared power in Odisha from 2000 to 2009.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to address a massive rally in Cuttack on Saturday — the visit will coincide with the BJD’s Jansachetana Yatra on Mahanadi river through 15 districts and 47 assembly constituencies.
“This (rally) is a desperate attempt by the BJP to keep together its dispirited cadres… Amit Shah was led to believe that BJP would win or lose the critical Bijepur bypoll by 2,000 votes. But the 42,000 vote margin victory of BJD has been a devastating blow (to the BJP),” said BJD MP Pinaki Mishra.
