Ahead of the polls, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Thursday sharpened his attack on the Centre, accusing it of perpetually neglecting the state and said this will not be "tolerated" anymore.
"We will no more tolerate Centre's negligence towards Odisha and its development," Patnaik said at a public meeting in Jharsuguda's Amalipalli ground where Prime Minister Narendra Modi had addressed a BJP rally last September.
The BJD chief also addressed a rally of Biju Yuva Vahini in Balangir where Modi attended a BJP meet and launched a slew of projects on January 15.
Patnaik's move to follow Modi's trail and address public meetings where the BJP held rallies forms part of the ruling BJD's drive to woo the people of western region ahead of the twin polls, said a BJD leader.
Assembly elections in Odisha are due along with the Lok Sabha polls.
Hitting out at the BJP-led government at the Centre, Patnaik accused it of having denied justice to Odisha over Mahanadi river water row with Chhattisgarh and said the state had to move the court because of its "apathy".
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The chief minister, who has been slamming the Centre for rejecting the demand for special category status to Odisha, said in September a new airport was inaugurated at Jharsuguda with much fanfare but it is non-functional now.
"There is no flight operation at the airport. I have told them (Centre) that Odisha will provide required funds for flight operation, but there is no progress," Patnaik said.
The chief minister said he has demanded the introduction of a Shatabdi Express train from Bhubaneswar to Rourkela via Jharsuguda. "Let us see whether the Centre makes any arrangement for the train service," he said.
Stating that Jharsuguda has a number of coal mines, Patnaik came down heavily on the Centre accusing it of not revising coal royalty.
"The coal royalty revision is pending since 2015. But, the Centre is not concerned over this. As a result, the state is losing thousands of crores of rupees as revenue," he said. Patnaik had demanded that the state be accorded fiscal autonomy to put itself on fast-track development.
"We face pollution due to the coal mines but not the benefit. The people should consider this issue," he said.
At the Jharsuguda rally, local Congress MLA Naba Kishore Das, who had quit the party on January 16 joined the BJD along with eight other Congress leaders, including the chairman of Jharsuguda zilla parishad and chairpersons of five blocks in the presence of Patnaik.
"I welcome Naba Das and his associates to the party. This will further strengthen the BJD in Jharsuguda district," Patnaik said.
During his Jharsuguda visit, Patnaik laid foundation stones and inaugurated projects worth Rs 618.66 crore, which included beginning of the construction of a cancer hospital at a cost of Rs 145 crore.
He also inaugurated six lift irrigation projects built at a cost of Rs 32 lakh and two grid stations worth Rs 13 crore and laid the foundation stones for four mega water supply projects built at a cost of Rs 388 crore. He also laid the foundation stone of a railway overbridge at an estimated cost of Rs 35.62 crore, a Nidan Kendra for free healthcare services worth Rs 15 crore and irrigation project to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 18.22 crore, officials said.
Patnaik also distributed Rs 1 crore digital empowerment incentive among 3,489 women self-help groups, social security benefits to 30 beneficiaries, assistance to 1,422 Nirman Shramiks and land pattas to 1,002 landless persons, they said.
In Balangir, the chief minister inaugurated 13 projects worth Rs 168 crore in road, lift irrigation, cheap food, Mission Shakti and several other sectors. He also laid foundation stones for projects worth Rs 94 crore, they said.
The chief minister also announced the decision to grant university status to the premier Rajendra College at Balangir.
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