The State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday announced the appointment of Bijoy Mohapatra, a senior leader, as its campaign committee head for the upcoming by-election in the Kandhamal Lok Sabha constituency.
The decision to appoint Mr. Mohapatra, a bête-noire of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, as party’s campaign committee chief was taken at the BJP’s State executive meeting presided over by State-unit president K.V. Singh Deo here.
In another development, Rudra Madhab Ray, former MP from Kandhamal, who represented Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in the past, joined the BJP here on Sunday fuelling speculations that he might be made party’s candidate for the Kandhamal by-election.
A political resolution brought out by Mr. Mohapatra in the State executive criticized BJD’s bad governance during the last four months. “BJD workers using government machineries have been usurping land belonging to the tribal communities.
The party will press for a CBI probe into BJD’s land grabbing spree,” BJP’s resolution stated. The resolution was backed by party’s Leader of Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly, Basant Panda.
Similarly, State executive hailed the manner in which the Narendra Modi-led BJP government performed at the national level. In another resolution, the party expressed gratitude to the Centre for carving a niche for India in world stage by its good governance and development agenda.
Similarly, the party also welcomed Rs. 1,00,000 crore of investment being grounded by Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gases in Odisha.
The Union Tribal Ministry’s effort to codify minimum support price of non-timber forest produce was lauded by the party in its State executive meeting.
Participating in the meeting, Mr. Pradhan said the action plan was being taken up for the construction of 1200 toilets in schools with the help of the Union government.
The saffron party resolved to strengthen itself as an alternative in the State.
