Ruling BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday said no party will get absolute majority in the Lok Sabha election and claimed that Odisha will play an important role in the formation of the next government at the Centre.
Patnaik said the regional party will support a government at the Centre that supports Odisha's legitimate rights.
"This time no national party will get majority on its own to form government. Odisha will have a role in the formation of the next Central government. There, the BJD will support a government which will meet the state's rights," he said while releasing the BJD's manifesto.
Alleging that successive Central governments have neglected the rights of Odisha, Patnaik said: "This neglect is historic and has led to Odisha being at the bottom of all Central subjects like telecom, railways, banking and national highways."
Patnaik said the previous Congress led UPA government provided national status to Pollavaram Dam and the present NDA government supported the then BJP government in Chhattishgarh against the interest of Odisha.
"In both the cases, Odisha had to take recourse of legal remedies," the chief minister said.
Targeting the saffron party, Patnaik said: "What could have been a more cruel joke on Odisha by the BJP than the promise of Special Category Status?"
He alleged that the number one manifesto promise of BJP in 2014, was forgotten for five years and finds no mention in the present manifesto. "Special Category Status is the only way to rectify the historic neglect that Odisha has suffered," Patnaik said.
"In denying Special Category Status to Odisha, BJP is denying the aspirations of youths of Odisha," Patnaik said.
He also raised issues like coal royalty revision.
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