BJD will play a key role in govt formation at Centre: Naveen Patnaik

Ruling BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday appealed to the people of the state to strengthen the regional party as he claimed that the BJD will play a major role in government formation at the Centre after the Lok Sabha election.

"No national party will get majority to form government at the Centre after elections. Therefore, your BJD will have a major role in government formation at the Centre," Patnaik said while addressing three back-to-back election meetings in Kandhamal, Boudh and Sonepur districts.

Patnaik said "BJP central leaders did not visit Odisha during calamities but now during the election time, they are shedding crocodile tears for the state."

The BJD supremo lambasted the BJP-led NDA government accusing it of "apathy" towards Odisha.

The chief minister said Odisha had informed the BJP led Central government about the Chhattisgarh government blocking Mahanadi water and requested its early intervention. "However, no action was taken by the Centre. The government was forced to take shelter of the court in order to protect interest of the people," he said.

Patnaik also held the BJP government "responsible" for delay in the completion of Khurda-Balangir railway line. "Though the Odisha government has provided land to the Railways free of cost, the work is still moving on at a snails pace," he said.

He also criticised the Centre for not increasing MSP of paddy and "stopping" post-matric scholarship for the Scheduled Caste students of Odisha.

Patnaik accused the BJP of deliberately stopping the disbursal of money to the account of farmers under the Kalia scheme on the pretext of the model code of conduct.

"No one can stop Kalia scheme as long as I am alive. I will serve the people of Odisha till my last breath," Patnaik said while appealing to people to vote for the BJD.