OPCC chief invites Pradhan and Oram to join Congress  

BHUBANESWAR:  After BJD supported NDA candidate Harivansh Narayan Singh for the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman’s post, the Congress on Friday alleged that the ruling party of Odisha and the BJP have a tacit understanding and their aggressive posturing against each other at the State level is only a drama.Congress is the only opposition party which is fighting against the BJD in Odisha and working for the development of people, president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik said.

Patnaik called upon Union Ministers Jual Oram and Dharmendra Pradhan and former MP Baijayant Panda to join Congress. “Oram, Pradhan and Panda should join Congress if they want the development of the State,” he said.Meanwhile, Patnaik’s invitation to the leaders to join Congress triggered a banter on Twitter. Not expecting such an invitation at a media conference, former Kendrapara MP Panda took to Twitter to point out the audacity of Patnaik.“Now, whatever you say about Odisha’s PCC President, you can’t say he lacks chutzpah,” Panda tweeted.

Patnaik also responded to the subtle barb from Panda. “You may love it or hate it, PandaJay ji, but the fact remains: integrity, honesty & commitment towards people of Odisha - that’s where my chutzpah comes from. The BJP & BJD have deceived people of Odisha for a long time and even you don’t deny it,” the OPCC chief tweeted.