Naveen Patnaik misleading people on 2019 poll prediction: Opposition

BHUBANESWAR: A day after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asserted that the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) will have no alliance with any political party in next elections and defeat the BJP on its own, the opposition Congress and BJP dismissed such an assessment saying it is meant to mislead the people.
Ruling out the possibility of an alliance between the Congress and BJD, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and senior Congress leader Narasingh Mishra said how can the two parties join hands for next elections when both are trying to come to power by defeating the other. Congress is the main opposition political party in Odisha and will give a tough fight to the BJD in the elections, he said.

Criticising both the BJD and BJP for not fulfilling election promises, Mishra said the two parties are competing to mislead the people by propagating lies and half truths. The economy has collapsed and common people are facing a lot of difficulties because of the Centre’s decision to introduce GST and demonetisation, he said.

BJP spokesperson Sajjan Sharma said the Chief Minister’s statement has proved that the BJD is worried because of the growing popularity of the BJP. That the popularity of the BJP has grown was proved in the panchayat election, Sharma said and alleged that the Chief Minister is giving such statements only to create confusion among the people.

Sharma also referred to the hasty manner in which the BJD announced Rita Sahu, widow of former Congress MLA Subal Sahu as the party’s candidate for the Bijepur Assembly by-election. “This has proved how much the BJD is worried because of the growing popularity of the BJP,” he said.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday had said in the concluding session of the Odisha Literary Festival 2017 organised by The New Indian Express here that the BJD will have no alliance - direct or indirect - in the 2019 elections and defeat the BJP on its own in Odisha.

How can the two parties join hands for next elections when both are trying to come to power by defeating the other. Congress will give a tough fight to the BJD in the election Narasingh Mishra, Oppn leader

the CM’s statement has proved that the BJD is worried because of the growing popularity of the BJP. That the popularity of the BJP has grown was proved in the panchayat electionSajjan Sharma, BJP spokesperson