'Odisha for Odias': Congress' new slogan ahead of elections

Bhubaneswar: The ruling BJD and opposition BJP were working against Odisha's self-esteem by involving 'outsiders' in the state's affairs, senior Congress leader Ajoy Kumar alleged on Sunday.

Raising the slogan of 'Odisha for Odias', he claimed that 'outsiders' were now playing a bigger role in the state's politics, economy and bureaucracy while the importance of Odias was diminishing day by day.

"Government work contracts of Rs 35,000 crore have been awarded to outsiders. Odisha does not have a contractor? The state is being run by political outsiders. Where have the MLAs, MPs and ministers of the state disappeared?" he asked.

Kumar, who is on a maiden visit after being appointed the Congress in charge of Odisha, alleged that people from outside the state have 'captured' important jobs, mining contracts and businesses, besides political posts.

"All of Odisha's money goes to outsiders. That's why Odisha has remained a poor state," he said.

"There is a need to uphold the Odia pride. Our concern is that politicians should run the political system and the Odias should run their state," he added.

Kumar claimed that the BJD was working with the BJP, and will help its candidates get elected in 15 of the state's 21 Lok Sabha seats.

"Have you seen any raid by CBI and ED in Odisha? The central agencies, which are conducting raids in various states, have forgotten Odisha. This proves the close link between the BJD and the BJP," he told reporters, maintaining that the Congress is the only alternative.

Drawing the example of Telangana, he said, "We had lost 15 by-elections continuously in Telangana. Still, we continued our fight and formed the government because Congress was the only alternative there."

Kumar has been holding a series of meetings with state party leaders during the visit, and taking stock of the organisation ahead of the elections. Assembly polls usually coincide with Lok Sabha elections in the state.

Rejecting the allegations, state BJP spokesperson Biranchi Tripathy said, "Before pointing fingers at others, the Congress needs to clarify the relation between its MP Dhiraj Sahu and the BJD. Sahu had illegally kept Rs 350 crore in cash in Odisha."

The ruling BJD is yet to react to the allegations levelled by the Congress leader.