BJP-BJD "partnership" in Odisha: Rahul Gandhi

ROURKELA: Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that the BJP and BJD has a "partnership" in Odisha and the Congress has been opposing them to protect the interest of the people of the state.

Gandhi resumed his 'Bharat Joda Nyay Yatra' in Odisha's steel city here.

In a brief speech, he said: "As you know Naveen Patnaik and Narendra Modi run a partnership government in Odisha. They both have joined hands and work in tandem. I find in Parliament that BJD supports the BJP. The BJD people also disturb us at the instance of BJP".

Gandhi claimed that it is the Congress party alone which has been opposing the BJD-BJP combine for the people of Odisha.

Gandhi said: "I have come to Odisha to open a shop of love in the market of hatred. ('Nafrat ki bazaar me mohabbat ki dukan khulne aaya hu')".

The Congress leader also came down heavily on Odisha's BJD government saying that as many as 30 lakh people from the state have migrated as labourers to other states for livelihood as the state government "was not working for them".

"While 30 lakh people have migrated to other states for their livelihood, 30 crorepati from outside Odisha have come here to loot the state's wealth", Gandhi said.

He said Odisha has a huge population of tribals, but they along with Dalits are being "neglected" in the state by the government. "I have come here to listen to your 'Maan ki baat' for 6/7 hours and speak a little for 15 minutes", Gandhi said.

He said the biggest problem in Odisha is unemployment as industries are not functioning properly.

Earlier Gandhi began his Bharat Joda Nyay Yatra in Odisha's steel city by offering prayer at Vedvyas Shiv temple and started a 3.4-km-long padayatra from Uditnagar to Panposh Chhak here.

Accompanied by AICC Odisha in-charge Ajoy Kumar and OPCC President Sarat Patnaik, the Congress leader mingled with the people.

Gandhi is scheduled to take a lunch break at Bisra Munda Ground at Ranibandh and attend two more gatherings at Kutra and Baragaon later in the afternoon.

Thereafter, he will resume his yatra from Ranibandh and address a rally at Rajgangpur. He will undertake another 1-km padayatra in Sundargarh town from Bus Stand Chhak Sundargarh via Stadium Chhak to SBI Chhak, following which he will address another public meeting, before retiring for the night at Amlipali Ground in Jharsuguda.