Bhubaneswar, Oct 24 : Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee(OPCC) President Sarat Patnaik on Tuesday slammed both the BJD and the BJP alleging that they have hatched a conspiracy to grab power in the state in 2024.
Addressing newsmen here, Patnaik said the Voluntary Retirement from government service by V K Pandian, Secretary to the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is an eye wash and a larger conspiracy to grab power in Odisha.
The Congress leader said that both the BJP and the BJD are one and planning to fight the 2024 election together and Pandian is the “political agent” of both the parties.
The approval of VRS of Pandian by the Union government in just three days proved this, he added
The OPCC President said Pandian had applied for VRS on October 20 and it was approved by the Union government on October 23 last. The approval of the VRS of Pandian has the blessings of both the BJD and the BJP government, he alleged.
Congress, Patnaik said, is the only alternative before the people of Odisha now and believed that the people of the state will give a befitting reply to the BJD and BJP in the 2024 Assembly election.
Patnaik strongly condemned the appointment of Pandian by the Chief Minister as the Chairman of 5T and “Nabin Odisha Scheme” a day after his VRS was approved.
Describing the appointment of Pandian as a ‘well planned conspiracy’ he said a sum of Rs 4,000 crore was allocated under the newly floated Nabin Odisha scheme keeping the 2024 election in mind.
The OPCC President said several non-Odias were involved in the mining scam but no action has been taken against any one of them so far.
He alleged that the Chief Minister entrusted the power to Pandian as he is unable to tour the state due to old age. But the way efforts are on to sub-let governance in the state is not acceptable at all, the Congress leader said.
Patnaik said earlier also the governance of the state was given on lease to some outsiders but it would not be allowed again and appealed to the people of the state to unite and vote Congress to power and help the state to be governed by Odia people.
