Patnaik against stable central govt: BJP

The BJP on Monday strongly criticised Odisha chief minister and ruling BJD president Naveen Patnaik for his prediction that it will be a hung Lok Sabha after the general elections.

He did not want a stable and strong government at the Centre, the saffron party said.

“A strong and stable government at the Centre always benefits the country. However, Patnaik’s statement clearly indicates that he is not in favour of a stable central government”, BJP’s national spokesperson, Sambit Patra, who will be contesting from coastal Puri Lok Sabha constituency, told reporters here.

Patra went on to say that only because of a stable government in New Delhi, the country managed to execute the air strike on Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack.

The Odisha chief minister while launching his party’s election campaign on Sunday had said that no national party would be able to get a majority in the Lok Sabha after the general elections and his regional outfit would play a key role in the formation of the next government in New Delhi.

Meanwhile, Pitambar Acharya, lawyer and newly-appointed vice president of the BJP’s Odisha unit, will take on Patnaik in Hinjili Assembly constituency in Ganjam district. The chief minister will be contesting from two Assembly seats in the coming elections.

Patnaik filed his nominations from Bijepur Assembly constituency in western Odisha Bargarh district on Monday. He had already filed his papers from Hinjili last week.

The BJP on Monday also announced the name of former CRPF director general Prakash Mishra to contest from prestigious Cuttack Lok Sabha seat in coastal Odisha. The retired top cop who is also a former director general of the state police had joined the saffron brigade on Sunday.