An impression that Baijayant Panda was misusing his position as a Member of Parliament to protect and promote his family industry and business seems to have been virtually confirmed with a statement of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in this regard.

Patnaik, during his election campaign at Rajnagar in Kendrapada district on Sunday, alleged that Panda, betrayed the people of the district in the matter of railway connection to the district, which is yet to find a place in the country’s railway map.     

Patniak disclosed that when he was pleading for a railway link for Kendrapada with the Central Government, a Union Minister told him that Panda, though being the MP of Kendrapada, was, instead, insistent on railway connections to his family’s industrial locations.

Patnaik lamented that Panda was sent by him to the Lok Sabha twice as the BJD’s Kendrapada MP, he was pursuing his self interest in New Delhi instead of serving the people he represented.

“Panda was not at all concerned about industrial development of Kendrapada. He was not bothered about creating jobs for youths of Kendrapada; rather, he always wanted to promote his own job,” said Patnaik.

Stating that Kendrapada was the “Karmabhumi” (workplace) of Biju Patnaik and people of the district were taking him as their family member, Patnaik said, “As a son of Bijubabu, I am indebted to you for your love for him. I sent an educated young man (Panda) to Delhi for development Kendrapada, but he has lost your trust and mine. His betrayal has disrespected both Bijubahu and you. Don’t trust him anymore,” Patnaik urged voters.

Notably, Panda is contesting this time from Kendrapada as the BJP candidate.

The BJD supremo targeted the BJP Government for halting of distribution of KALIA assistance and said Rs 10,000 would be credited to the accounts of rest farmers on the very day of formation of BJD Government. Reminding that he had declared to provide 33 per cent reservation of Lok Sabha seats from Kendrapada, Patnaik said the announcement has created history in the entire country now.

Asserting that he would personally take care of development of Kendrapada henceforth, Patnaik urged voters to bless him and elect BJD Lok Sabha candidate Anubhab Mohanty and Rajnagar Assembly BJD candidate Dhruba Sahoo by big margins.