Free Odisha from captivity, says Irani

Bhubaneswar : Senior BJP leader and Union minister Smriti Irani has urged people to vote for the BJP to liberate Odisha’s future from BJD’s ‘’captivity’’.

Speaking at an election rally in Kujang within Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha constituency on Saturday, Irani said, ‘’There’s talk that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik lacks the freedom to express himself and meet others independently. The entire BJD leadership is in captivity. Free Odisha’s future from this confinement by pressing the lotus button on June 1.’’

She declared that if voted to power, the BJP would appoint an Odia chief minister. Irani accused BJD leaders of involvement in a Rs 32,000-crore chit fund scam, a Rs 60,000-crore mining scam and criticised the State’s ruling party for awarding them poll tickets. ‘’How long will Odisha endure all this?’’ she questioned.

Irani alleged that the BJD government had fostered land, coal, sand and mining mafias in the State, with ministers, MLAs, supporters and remote controllers from Tamil Nadu working incessantly to plunder the State’s resources.

In contrast, she highlighted Narendra Modi’s commitment to building a developed India by 2047. ‘’To witness a deluge of development, vote for the lotus on June 1 and establish a double-engine government in the State,’’ she urged.

Turning to the issue of the missing key to the Ratna Bhandar (treasury) of Lord Jagannath, Irani queried, ‘’How was the key misplaced? Why has the judicial commission report on the missing key case been suppressed?’’ She issued a warning to the remote-controlled government, stating that if any irregularities were found in the management of the Ratna Bhandar, Modi’s government would hold them accountable.

Irani accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of clandestinely supporting the BJD and contrasted the mining revenue of Odisha during the UPA regime with the substantial increase under the Modi government.

‘’During the UPA regime, Odisha was getting only Rs 5,000 crore mining revenue a year, which shot up to over Rs 50,000 crore after the Modi government came to power,’’ she added.

The BJP leader appealed to the public to vote for Modi, highlighting his initiatives such as free ration, drinking water, solid housing and financial aid to farmers.