Odisha Chief minister Naveen Patnaik: BJP spreading lies to garner support in polls

BHUBANESWAR/KEONJHAR: Chief minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik on Sunday accused the BJP of spreading lies, misinformation and shedding crocodile tears to garner the support of people for elections.
Addressing the gathering at Silisuan village in Keonjhar district, Naveen said, "Thank you for coming from long distances despite the heat. I want to ask you, are schemes like Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana, Mission Shakti, Mamata Yojana, LAccMI bus, 5T school transformation, Nua-O scholarship and Kalia Yojana good enough? Is Puri Parikrama Prakalpa, Samalei project good? I want to ask you, is Naveen Patnaik and conch symbol good?" The crowd responded with a thundering "yes."
He said there will be no electricity bills from July."BJD govt will provide free electricity. Are you all happy? Opposition leaders are lying and shedding crocodile tears," he added. He requested the voters to bless and cast their votes in favour of BJD's Lok Sabha and assembly candidates. BJD member V K Pandian said the chief minister is always concerned about the development of tribal communities.
"The state govt has withdrawn over 50,000 petty criminal cases pending against tribals," he said. Naveen later attended two more public meetings in Anandapur and Bhadrak and took the feedback of people on the welfare schemes. He asked the people not to believe in the misinformation being spread by the BJP. Pandian said the state govt has formed a separate development council for nine tribal-dominated districts which no other state has ever implemented.
"The BJP is talking about a double-engine govt, but none of their governed states formed development councils for the tribals. They are losing confidence after looking at the development agenda of the chief minister," he said. He said Naveen will be sworn in as chief minister for a sixth successive term on June 9 and after the oath-taking ceremony, the first signature will be made on the file for waiving of electricity bills for 90% people of Odisha. Keonjhar LS seat will go to poll on May 25.