BHUBANESWAR: Union petroleum and natural gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday accused the BJD of entering into a “tacit understanding” with the Congress to prevent the BJP from coming power in the state in 2019. Mr Pradhan, who arrived here to a rousing welcome by state BJP leaders after being elected to Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh, - said the BJD headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was apprehensive of retaining power in the state in next elections and hence it had joined hands with the “corrupt” Congress.
“In the last 18 years, the BJD has only sold dreams to people of Odisha. They have pushed to the state to the brink of underdevelopment. The youths and common people have started believing the development agenda of the Narendra Modi government, and hence, they have now made the BJP the number two political force in the state. I’m sure, people will give us the responsibility to form the government in 2019,” said Mr Pradhan.
Dismissing the impact of the BJP’s defeat in Bijepur assembly bypoll on the party’s electoral prospects in the 2019, the Union minister said the saffron party had managed to garner more votes than 2015 elections. “In Bijepur bypoll, the BJD and Congress joined hands to defeat the BJP. And again, they are planning to fight the next assembly polls together to keep the BJP at bay. The BJP has realized their game-plan and redrawing its strategy,” said Mr Pradhan. The BJD reacted to Mr Pradhan’s remarks saying the Union minister was spinning an improbable theory to confuse the public.
