ROURKELA: A day before Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Rourkela, the party kicked up a storm with former Chief Minister Hemananda Biswal comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Ravana while AICC secretary for Odisha SK Mastan Vali termed Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik “dhokebaaz”.

Briefing mediapersons on Rahul’s Parivaratan Sankalp Samavesh rally on Wednesday, Biswal described Modi as a tyrannical and vindictive Prime Minister and went ahead to compare him with Ravana. 
He said during Congress-led Central government the Brahmani bridge project was finalised and work started, but it was derailed due to failure of Naveen Patnaik government in acquiring land for the purpose and giving forest clearance. He said the Prime Minister had announced to construct the Brahmani bridge and upgrade the Ispat General Hospital but failure of both projects shows where the development rhetoric of Modi is headed to. 

Biswal added that Naveen’s BJD Government, which is involved in various scams, has a secret pact with Modi Government and is supporting it fearing CBI probe. Stating that bureaucrats are running the government and BJD, he termed the Naveen-led State Government fascist. 
Calling Naveen dhokebaaz (betrayer), Vali said he has been in power for 18 years including eight years in alliance with BJP but Odias got only rhetoric in the name of development. 
Hurling Rahul Gandhi’s jibe ‘Chowkidar Hi Chor Hai’ at Modi, the AICC secretary said the Prime Minister never dares to speak on Rafale deal, demonetisation and asked how Amit Shah’s son multiplied `80,000 to `80 crore so quickly. 

Vali claimed that never in the country’s history, the sanctity of Constitutional institutions were violated like in Modi’s regime and pointed out it was previously unheard of four Supreme Court judges going to public, CBI infighting and CBI chief being removed in the dead of night. Citing Congress victories in three states, Vali asserted that the party would return to power in the Centre and if elected in Odisha, Congress would ensure 70 per cent of State’s population gets covered under Minimum Income Guarantee Scheme.
Elaborate security arrangements have been put in place for the meeting.