In Orissa, the government is being run by outsiders and not by elected representatives – Dharmendra Pradhan

In an interview to ANI editor Smita Prakash, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan said that if BJP wins the election, the top leadership of the party will decide the CM’s post. Regarding his own claim, Pradhan said that he is a disciplined party worker. Whatever order the party gives will be followed. Regarding Rahul Gandhi, the BJP leader claimed that he has got Modiphobia. In all cases including National Herald, the investigating agencies are doing their work independently and all the allegations leveled by Rahul on the Modi government are baseless.

He accused the Congress that all the big leaders involved in the mining scam in the state are members of the Congress party. Pradhan claimed that Naveen Patnaik played an important role in the distribution of Congress party tickets in Odisha. Because Congress has been completely wiped out from the state. Regarding the election campaign of BJD, the BJP leader said that Naveen Patnaik was not present during the campaign in the state. In his place, hired persons campaigned in favor of Biju Janata Dal. Criticizing the Naveen government, the Union Minister said that the state receives money from the central government for basic facilities. The state government has also deprived the people of facilities like electricity, roads, water and health.

Dharmendra Pradhan, referring to the huge cyclone that hit the state before independence, said that in 1936, Orissa was the first state in the country to be formed on the basis of language. During the interview, he repeatedly expressed that he has very cordial relations with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. But as a citizen, it is his moral duty to criticize him in a healthy manner. The BJP leader claimed that VK Pandian is the undeclared successor of Naveen Babu in the party and Pandian has taken full control over Patnaik. Naveen Patnaik is running his government as per his wishes. The people of Orissa do not accept that an outsider runs their government.

The Union Minister claimed that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the entire BJP machinery campaigned together in the elections and under his guidance, his party will continue to lead in the state. He said that the state government is not implementing many public welfare schemes of the Modi government like Ayushman Card, PM Shri in Odisha. Due to which the people of Odisha are deprived of these schemes while the people of other states are taking full advantage of the same schemes. Regarding the increasing popularity of BJP in the country, the party leader said that BJP is the only fully democratic party in the country. Here all decisions are taken together and the final decision is of the top leadership of the party. And this is the main reason that even a common worker of the party can reach the post of Chief Minister and Prime Minister.