Argus News - Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge To Visit Odisha on January 29

Bhubaneswar, Jan 27: All India Congress Committee (AICC) President Mallikarjuna Kharge will come to Odisha on January 29 (Monday) to attend a massive public meeting, titled Odisha Bachao Samabesh' to be held here.  
It will be his first visit to the State after taking the reins of national congress.

Addressing a Press conference, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Sarat Pattanayak said Kharge will hold discussions with senior party leaders and INDIA Bloc leaders at separate meetings. 

On the occasion, Pattanayak alleged that the BJD had already pushed Odisha into penury. He said his party would stiffly oppose non-Odias in Odisha politics. 

He said the BJD government remembers about Jagannath Temple and Maa Samaleswari Temple when the election approaches. The BJD has taken refuge in Maa Samaleswari as it has already got a hint of change in people's minds. 

"The head office of the Western Odisha Development Council is yet to shift to the western region. This says how the BJD government is serious about the development of western Odisha," ridiculed the PCC chief.

Former PCC president Jayadev Jena said the Naveen Patnaik government would never come to power again if the OBC survey report is published. He dared the State government to publish the OBC Survey Report and execute the same without delay. 

Prasad Harichandan, another former PCC president, slammed the State government for not opening the Ratna Bhanda of the Shreemandir despite repeated demands by his party and other sections of the society. 

"The State government has not taken any step to open the Ratna Bhandar and repair the cracks. For this, people doubt if the ornaments are safe. I also suspect some of the ornaments might have been stolen," said  Harichandan. "