BHUBANESWAR: Former Congress president
Rahul Gandhi
on Sunday branded Narendra
Modi
and
Naveen Patnaik
as ‘
partners
’ who are committed to work for the welfare of the rich.
Addressing an election rally at Salipur in Cuttack district, Rahul said “uncle ji (Modi) in Delhi and Naveen babu in Odisha” are one and together and that their govts are only for some select people and
billionaires
.
“You call it marriage or partnership. Both the BJD and BJP are together. In Delhi, you find uncle ji running the govt for 22/25 billionaires. Naveen babu’s govt in Odisha is also for a handful and select people only,” Rahul said.
The former Congress president also took a dig at Naveen, alleging his close aide and former bureaucrat V K Pandian has been running the show in Odisha. “Uncle ji and Naveen babu have given Odisha PANN — Pandian, Amit Shah, Narendra Modi, Naveen Patnaik. They have cheated the people of the country and Odisha, and looted their money. Pandian is running the state,” Rahul said, adding that just as the Congress formed the govt in Telangana by exposing the alleged nexus between BRS and BJP, the party will do the same in Odisha and come to power in the state.
Reacting to the charges, BJD leader and Cuttack Lok Sabha candidate Santrupt Misra said, “People of the state have been blessing Naveen Patnaik for his good governance and development agenda since 2000, and will continue to elect him for a record sixth term.”
Speaking to reporters, BJD Rajya Sabha member and party’s national spokesperson Sasmit Patra said, “Rahul’s visit will not have any impact on the electoral fortunes of Odisha Congress. It may only motivate Congress cadres who have been consistently losing in elections.”
Refuting Rahul’s allegation of BJD-BJP partnership, BJP said the Congress leader’s election rally will have little impact on the electorate. “People of Odisha have decided to vote BJP to power in the state and at the Centre. People of the state want double-engine sarkar (BJP govt in state and Centre) for a speedy growth,” state BJP president Manmohan Samal said.
Rahul made a host of promises at the public meeting, including crop loan waiver for farmers and replication of Karnataka’s Gruha Laxmi scheme, offering a monthly assistance of Rs 2,000 to women heads of households, if the party forms the govt in Odisha.
Highlighting the party’s election manifesto, Rahul promised bonus for farmers along with minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 3,000 per quintal for paddy. Besides waiver of agricultural loan, the Congress also offered a monthly pension of Rs 2,000 for farmers. Reiterating Congress’s plan of launching ‘pehli naukri pakki’ in the country, Rahul said the party, if voted to power, will ensure guaranteed apprenticeship of all degree/diploma holders with a stipend of Rs 1 lakh per year.
