Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday charged that chief minister Naveen Patnaik had entered into a undeclared alliance with the Congress party.

Addressing a gathering of party workers and leaders here who accorded Pradhan a rousing reception on his first trip to the state after being nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh, Pradhan said he was overwhelmed by the response of the people and would dedicate himself for the development of Odisha.

Conscious of the demoralising developments like the defeat of the party candidate in the Bijepur Assemby by-poll by over 41,000 votes and the attempts to forge a unity among non-BJP forces, the Union minister said the BJP had doubled its votes in Bijepur from 30,000 to 62000 between 20-14 and 2018.

The BJD which won the bypoll had done so by forging a secret deal with the Congress. He ridiculed chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s statement that the BJP is sinking fast. “Wait till 2019”, remarked Pradhan while pointing out that in 1997 till 2000, the chief minister had clung to the BJP to remain in power and described the Congress as a ‘corrupt’ party.

He( Naveen Patnaik) is an opportunist and now he has entered in to a tacit understanding with the Congress, alleged Pradhan. For the record, the chief minister maintains that the BJD is equi-distant from the Congress and BJP, but at the ground level he works with the Congress, said Pradhan.

The BJD government in Odisha has been filling the pockets of its own workers and leaders while people of the state are deprived of all benefits.

The ration cards were cornered by partymen, a few like the erstwhile mayor of Cuttack, a relative of a MLA were caught and on Friday the chief minister has floated a programme called Biju Yuva Vahini to involve BJD party youth in government work, he charged.

Pradhan exuded confidence of the BJP coming to power in the state in 2019 and exhorted the youth to work hard. The farmers, teachers, unemployed youth and women are all disgusted with the 18-year-misrule of the BJD government, he said.

Earlier, state BJP president Basant Panda and others heaped praises on Pradhan. They also stressed on the fact that he is the first Odia to be nominated to the RS twice from Bihar and MP because of his performance.

Pradhan was given a rousing reception with a huge contingent of folk dancers, music and a procession from the Airport to the party office. The effort was clearly aimed at boosting the moral of the party cadre.

In the evening he inaugurated a international conference of Indo-Pacific region organised by the Kalinga International Foundation.The BJD government in Odisha has been filling the pockets of its own workers and leaders while people of the state are deprived of all benefits.

The ration cards were cornered by partymen, a few like the erstwhile mayor of Cuttack, a relative of a MLA were caught and on Friday the chief minister has floated a programme called Biju Yuva Vahini to involve BJD party youth in government work, he charged.

Pradhan exuded confidence of the BJP coming to power in the state in 2019 and exhorted the youth to work hard. The farmers, teachers, unemployed youth and women are all disgusted with the 18-year-misrule of the BJD government, he said.

Earlier, state BJP president Basant Panda and others heaped praises on Pradhan. They also stressed on the fact that he is the first Odia to be nominated to the RS twice from Bihar and MP because of his performance.

Pradhan was given a rousing reception with a huge contingent of folk dancers, music and a procession from the Airport to the party office.

The effort was clearly aimed at boosting the moral of the party cadre. In the evening he inaugurated a international conference of Indo-Pacific region organised by the Kalinga International Foundation.