Threatening to intensify its campaign for ouster of BJD government in Orissa over Vedanta University row, Congress plans to organise a rally here on December 14 to press for Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s resignation in the wake of High Court’s verdict in the case.
Pradesh Congress Committee President K P Singhdeo said the Chief Minister had lost all right to remain in office after the High Court declared illegal the land acquisition process for the proposed Rs 15,000 crore Vedanta University project.
“Mr. Naveen Patnaik should have resigned immediately after the High Court indicted the government and ordered return of the land acquired for the project in Puri district to the owners,” he said.
Since Mr. Patnaik was clinging on to his post instead of quitting for illegalities committed in land acquisition process, Congress has decided to mount a sustained agitation against BJD government till it is ousted, he said.
Mr. Singhdeo said that as part of the campaign, Congress workers from various parts of the State would convene here on December 14 to take out a rally and stage demonstration near the State assembly and secretariat.
Before the Vedanta University case, the BJD government had earlier been indicted by the court in the Khandadhar mining lease case too, the PCC chief said, adding, the Centre had rejected bauxite mining lease proposal at Niyamgiri due to alleged irregularities committed by the State government.
