BJD leader Pandian hits out at BJP for disrespecting Naveen Patnaik

Bhubaneswar, May 16: During his campaign in Balangir district on Thursday, V K Pandian, a prominent figure in the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), launched a vehement criticism against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing its leaders of consistently undermining and showing disrespect towards Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during the election period.

Pandian highlighted various incidents where the Chief Minister and BJD president had allegedly been targeted. He mentioned an incident during the Bijepur Assembly by-election where an attempt was made to throw footwear at Naveen, resulting in the BJP's defeat by a significant margin of over 45,000 votes due to public disapproval of such conduct.

Pandian also referenced an incident in Puri where eggs were thrown at the CM, coinciding with the BJP's loss in all 30 zilla parishad elections. Criticizing the BJP further, Pandian remarked on the presence of ministers from Chhattisgarh who have been visiting Odisha for election campaigning and resorting to derogatory language against the CM.

Expressing confidence in the people of Odisha to retaliate against the verbal attacks on Naveen, Pandian asserted that the BJD will return to power with a resounding victory, reflecting the strong support for the CM among the populace. He urged the electorate to respond decisively in the ongoing elections to counter such disrespectful behavior.

During his addresses at poll rallies in Titilagarh and other venues, Pandian lambasted the BJP for disrespecting the CM, who he emphasized stands firmly with the people of Odisha. He called upon voters to deliver a clear message against such behavior in the upcoming polling on May 20.