BJP star campaigner and Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday came down heavily on the Naveen Patnaik Government in Odisha over the mysterious disappearance of the key of Puri Jagannath Temple’s Ratna Bhandar (treasury) saying that “the guilty people will be taken to task after double-engine government comes to power in Odisha”.

Irani, who addressed poll rallies in Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Balasore parliamentary constituencies going to polls on 1 June in the last phase, said “the BJP government will ensure that the ungodly people bite the dust”.

”How was the key of the Ratna Bhandar lost? The BJD government is remote-controlled by the Tamil ‘thekedar’ (referring to CM Patnaik’s trusted aide VK Pandian). When the double-engine government is formed, the BJP government will ensure that the ungodly people bite the dust,” she said, seeking votes for BJP candidates in LS and Assembly polls.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has been held captive and does not even have the right to speak, she said, seeking votes for the BJP to ensure ushering of development in Odisha.

Once the lotus blooms in Odisha, the Puri Jagannath Temple’s Ratna Bhandar missing key inquiry commission report will be out in public domain and those guilty will not be spared by PM Narendra Modi and will be punished, she said.

Launching a further scathing and veiled attack on Tamil Nadu-born Pandian, Irani alleged that thekedar (contractor) remote-controls the BJD Government and Tamil Thekedars plundered the money sent by the Modi Government.

“Modi sent funds for drinking water supply under the Jal Jivan mission programme. The BJD Government remote-controlled by Tamil Thekedars looted the money. Money was sent for free housing by Modi, but the ‘theka’ (contract) was given to Tamil contractors by remote control”, she charged.

If the funds for development are being sent by Modi, the votes will go in favour of PM and BJP, she asserted.

Dwelling on the persistent demand of Kendrapara for improved healthcare facilities, she questioned ”why did the BJD government reject the demand for a medical college by the people of Kendrapara? If you (people) want a medical college, you have to bring the BJP to power in Odisha.”

Union Minister Irani reminded the people that Amethi (her LS constituency) also had such a demand that was hanging for 40 years. But the medical college and hospital was set up in Amethi after the double engine government of the BJP at the Centre and the state.

Hitting out at INDIA bloc leaders, Irani accused the Congress and leaders of the alliance of not attending the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya only for vote bank politics. The voters will teach them a lesson in this election, she added.