Dubbing Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik as an "Englishman", the Odisha Janmorcha today launched a Quit Odisha campaign in coastal districts, considered as the fort of the ruling BJD.
OJM launched its 15-day 'Sampark Kranti Abhiyan' from Sharadhabali here on the occasion of the historic Kranti Divas.
"Our target is to oust English speaking Naveen from Odisha. Though he had been Chief Minister of the state, Naveen is unable to read, write and speak the local language (Odia)," said OJM president and Rajya Sabha MP Pyarimohan Mohapatra.
Alleging that Naveen's presence in Odisha hurts the state's pride, Mohapatra said he should quit the state as Britishers had left India. "We pledge on Kranti Divas to oust Naveen," Mohapatra, a former close aide of Patnaik, said.
Mohapatra said the campaign would cover Puri, Nayagarh, Khurda, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur and Kendrapara districts.
He said after the inauguration of the Abhiyan from Saradhabali, it would move to Konark via Chandanpur, Sakhigopal, Dandamukundpur, Pipili, Khelar, Nimapada, Gop and Konark where several meetings have been planned.
