Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday hit out at Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik saying that Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal has entered into partnership with the BJP to escape from saffron party’s vindictive crackdown politics.

The Gandhi scion, addressing an election rally at Balasore Parliamentary constituency to bolster the electoral prospects of Congress candidates in the twin polls, also raked up the influence of VK Pandian in Patnaik government pointing out that “here in Odisha, the government is run by VK Pandian (whom Patnaik has reportedly groomed as his political successor) to make billionaires as PM Modi has made Adani-Ambani billionaires”.

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It’s pertinent to note here that it’s the BJP which is trying to cash in on the outsider-tag attached to Tamil Nadu-born Pandian and CM’s complete dependence on him and has made it the principal poll issue to dethrone Patnaik and end BJD’s supremacy in Lok Sabha polls. The Congress, though, raised the unholy nexus between the BJD-BJP, has not been found as vocal as the BJP in attacking Pandian.

Stating that in Odisha, the BJP and the BJD are linked with each other and both are the same, he said ” Both have entered into partnership.” Lashing out at the Modi government, he said “BJP has framed me in 24 cases — defamation, criminal cases, they sentenced me to two year jail, snatched away my Lok Sabha membership, drove me out from government quarters in Delhi. ED questioned me for 50 hours”.

”If Chief Minister Naveen Babu had really fought against the BJP, why have no cases been slapped against him,” he questioned.

”Nothing was done against him because Naveen Babu works for BJP in Odisha. Everything is crystal clear. The objective of the partnership of BJP-BJD is to loot the wealth, mineral resources of Odisha people,” he alleged.

Citing the Telangana example, he said ”BJP-BJD partnership is comparable to the BRS and BJP bonding in Telangana. People voted the Congress to power, and the corrupt, anti-people partnership was broken to pieces. Then BRS Chief Minister worked for BJP for fear just like Naveen Patnaik.”

Launching a blistering attack on the BJP, he said “this is the first election in which the attempt is on to destroy the Constitution and on the other hand, ours (INDIA Bloc)’s fight is on to save it. The INDIA bloc says we will save the Constitution whatever happens. The BJP, RSS leaders say we will tear apart the Constitution if the NDA comes to power yet again”.

“I want to tell Narendra Modi and RSS people , no force on the earth can finish the strength of the Indian Constitution even if they (Modi, RSS) dream of doing so. You will not touch the Constitution regardless of your efforts”, he reiterated.

”Adani, Ambani were given money by Modi, they spent it in foreign countries. We will give money to common people. We will waive farmers’ loan while Modi waives Adani’s loan. Once the INDI Alliance comes to power, the temporary Agninveer army recruitment scheme will be abolished. If Congress is voted to power, it will give 3 lakh jobs to youths in Odisha.

”Ten years of the Modi government worked for 1 per cent of people like Adani-Ambani while we will work for the poor people,” he added while listing out Congress’ pro-people welfare schemes.