Naveen Patnaik to meet fate of Manik Sarkar of Tripura: Oram

Union Minister Jual Oram today said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will suffer the same fate as Tripura's Manik Sarkar after the 2019 Assembly elections in Odisha. The BJP had yesterday registered a thumping win in Tripura, ending the CPI(M)-led Left Front government's 25-year rule.

The state's Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, who was at the helm since 1998, resigned today following the heavy defeat. "With blessings of the people, the BJP will form government in Odisha after ousting Naveen Patnaik," Oram, who is the Tribal Affairs Minister, told reporters here. Drawing a parallel between Patnaik and Manik Sarkar, Oram said: The organisation that felicitated Manik Sarkar as the best chief minister, has also given the same award to Naveen Patnaik." The Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT) School of Government had given 'Ideal CM' award to both Sarkar and Patnaik. "We have already defeated one award winner (Manik Sarkar) and BJP hopes that the people of Odisha will give opportunity to thank them in 2019, said Oram. Reiterating BJP president Amit Shah's statement, Oram said that the BJPs Golden Period will begin after wins in Odisha, Bengal and Kerala. He said efforts were on to ensure strengthening the partys base in the three "target states". Replying to a question on the BJP's defeat in the recently concluded Bijepur by-elections, Oram said that the party could not achieve the desired results owing to "fixing" between Congress and BJD. Oram also alleged that the ruling BJD misused the government machinery during the polls. Asked on the BJPs chief ministerial candidate for Odisha, Oram said: "Partys central leadership will declare the name at the appropriate time. BJP can even contest elections and get success without CM candidate and the party takes a decision by reviewing it on a case-to-case and place-to-place basis." Oram said the BJP in Odisha has many eligible leaders who can be named as the chief ministerial candidate. BJP's Legislature Party leader KV Singhdeo claimed that the saffron party's vote share had been doubled in Bijepur when compared to the 2014 elections. Our party had got 30,000 votes in Bijepur Assembly constituency in 2014 which was almost doubled in the recent by-election, said Singhdeo. Senior BJD leader and Odisha Minister Pradeep Maharathy, however, dubbed Oram's claim that the BJP would dethrone Naveen Patnaik after 2019 elections as a "day dream." Maharathy said: "The BJP will again be frustrated after 2019 elections. Recently, they have been defeated in the Bijepur by-polls." Ridiculing BJP leaders, Maharathy said: There is no water in Mahanadi, how will lotus bloom in Odisha? The BJD government has been holding the BJP ruled Chhattishgarh responsible for declining water flow to Hirakud reservoir due to construction of projects on upstream of Mahanadi river.

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