BJP alleges governance in Odisha hijacked by a junior officer

BHUBANESWAR: Senior BJP leader Aparajita Sarangi on Saturday attacked the BJD government in Odisha alleging that a junior bureaucrat has hijacked the governance in the state.

Without naming anyone, Sarangi claimed that the secretary-level officer has been working in violation of All India Service Conduct Rules by addressing public meetings, making announcements of projects and getting sponsored receptions, while senior BJD leaders were arranging his programmes.

Reacting to the allegations, the ruling BJD dubbed her as “anti-Odisha.” “It is painful to see BJD MPs, MLAs and ministers have become slaves to this junior officer who has hijacked the state’s governance in the name of doing such works at the instructions of the chief minister,” Sarangi, the MP of Bhubaneswar, told a press conference.

She said if the officer has political ambition, he should quit the government job and join politics.

BJD spokesperson Sreemayee Mishra, in a counter press meet, claimed that Sarangi had attempted to stop development works in the Jagannath temple at Puri and Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar.

Stating that people have voted Sarangi to work for them and not against their interests, Mishra asked: “Have you been able to stop water logging caused by National Highways in Bhubaneswar? Your capital ring road plan is still in pen and paper. Your model railways station or coastal highway – everything is non-existent.”

Source: Press Trust of India