Farmers’ issues to top BJP meet agenda

BHUBANESWAR :  The BJP on Saturday hit out at the BJD government accusing it of failing on all fronts amid rampant corruption, misrule, farmers’ miseries and sluggish industrial activity. BJP functionaries held a series of meetings to set agenda for the party’s state executive committee meeting here on Sunday to be attended by two Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Pratap Sarangi.

All the meetings chaired by State BJP president Samir Mohanty resolved to take up issues like farmers problems, mandi mismanagement, border disputes, Covid-19 mismanagement and corruption, deteriorating law and order situation, misuse of DMF and CAMPA fund, drinking water crisis among others.

“An elaborate discussion will be held on these issues and the current political situation of the State in the BJP executive committee meeting which will decide the future course of action for the party,” said state BJP general secretary Lekhashree Samantsinghar after the meeting. The executive committee will pass a political resolution highlighting the achievement of Modi government and the failures of the Naveen Patnaik government.

The crisis in paddy procurement following virtual closure of mandis, a month before the kharif paddy procurement, and leaving the farmers to their fate, is likely to dominate the proceedings, sources in the party said. The border dispute with Andhra Pradesh will get special attention as the government failed to prevent the neighbouring state to conduct panchayat polls within Odisha boundary.  

Samantsinghar said the State party president in his address has given a call to the party workers to visit all the 37,000 booths of the State to highlight all the welfare programmes and the achievements of the Narendra Modi government in the last six years. Sarangi, Leader of Opposition Pradipta Naik, MP Suresh Pujari, state co-in charge Vijay Pal Singh Tomar, former president KV Singhdeo and others were present.

BJP poser to BJD on women empowerment
Bhubaneswar: As the ruling BJD is gearing up to celebrate the International Women’s Day in all Assembly constituencies, the State BJP Mahila Morcha on Saturday lashed out at Odisha government for the rising crimes against girl children and women. Criticising Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his hollow claim of women empowerment, State BJP Mahila Morcha president Smruti Patnaik posed five questions and dared him to reply without fail.

“Will the Chief Minister reply how many mothers lost their children in the last 21 years? How many minor girls have fallen prey to sexual harassment and killed in the State? How many mothers have allowed their sons to work as bonded labourers in other states?,” she  asked. With the State government claiming credit for economically empowering over six lakh women SHG groups, Smruti sought a clarification from the CM if these groups are apolitical or serving at the vote bank of the BJD.