'Naveen's comment on Modi because of deal with Congress'

Bhubaneswar: BJP on Tuesday alleged that BJD's remarks against Narendra Modi was allegedly because of a deal with Congress to escape possible CBI action in the state in the coal scam. "Naveen Patnaik is reported to have stated that Modi is not acceptable at the national level...his statement is obviously because of a deal between BJD and Congress," BJP Odisha unit general secretary and spokesman Suresh Pujary alleged at a press conference in Bhubaneswar.

Claiming that the BJD chief was apprehensive about CBI including Odisha in its probe into coal scam, Pujary said, "Patnaik's remark about Modi is apparently aimed at keeping Congress in good humour." In the Rs 1.86 lakh crore coal scam, corruption involving about Rs 88,000 crore had taken place in Odisha, Pujary alleged and claimed that Patnaik had a secret deal with Congress to keep CBI away in the coal scam. Stating that BJP did not need a certificate from Patnaik on Modi's elevation as poll campaign committee chief, Pujary claimed that Patnaik must be worried about CBI which raided 15 places in the state in the coal scam.

On the chitfund scam, the BJD leader claimed that the much trumpeted 'Swabhiman' rally being held in Delhi to press for special category status for Odisha was aimed at diverting people's attention from the chitfund scandal. "We wonder whose swabhiman the rally seeks to project after Naveen Patnaik failed to learn Odia during the last 13 years," he said. Accusing the chief minister of not being sincere about special category state status, he said had Patnaik been sincere about the demand, his party would have involved all others and made the demand from a larger platform.

Pujary said, "All the 4.2 crore people of Odisha and not just BJD want special category status." Slamming the BJD government for not including names of ministers, officials and leaders allegedly involved in the chitfund scam, he said the irregularities must be probed by a special investigation team under supervision of the Supreme Court as corruption took place in many states.