Bhubaneswar: Alleging rampant corruption and plundering of BPL rice, minerals and from gullibles through chitfund during BJD rule in Odisha, Congress on Sunday claimed it would capture power in the next polls by dumping the Naveen Patnaik government in Bay of Bengal. Addressing a function to accord a reception to the new OPCC President Jayadeb Jenan, senior party leaders including Union Minister Srikant Jena slammed the BJD government of failing on all fronts and vowed to fight it unitedly.
"Congress will make all efforts to return to power in Odisha and throw the BJD government in the Bay of Bengal. The state has been a victim of largescale corruption during the BJD rule," the new PCC President said. Alleging corruption in almost all spheres, Jena said apart from gross irregularities in mining of iron ore and coal, the state witnessed loot of rice supplied by the Centre for people living below the poverty line (BPL). Though the Centre provided 35 kg for each BPL families per month, the state gave them only 25 kg each, thereby diverting 10 kg of rice meant for each of the poor families, the PCC chief and others claimed.
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03:10 AM, May 20, 2013
Bhubaneswar: With investors across Odisha demanding action against the chit fund companies which duped them of crores of rupees, opposition BJP and Congress on Friday respectively demanded judicial probe and CBI investigation into the matter. "As one chief of an accused chit fund company has said that some ministers and MLAs are hand-in-glove with him to cheat people, the government must reveal their names and announce a judicial probe into...
11:01 PM, May 17, 2013
Bhubaneswar: Terming as shocking and unfortunate Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram's reported statement favouring special category status to Bihar before report of a sub-committee, ruling BJD on Monday accused Congress of working against the interest of Odisha. "As far as I know (about) backwardness of Bihar, I am sure it will qualify to be a special category state by the sub-committee to be appointed under the chairmanship of Raghurama G...
02:25 AM, May 14, 2013
New Delhi: A delegation of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee on Friday met Finance Minister P Chidambaram and demanded a financial package for the state on the lines of special allocation for Bihar and conferment of special category status. It also demanded setting up of a high-level fast track inquiry against the BJD government in the state to "expose massive mis-utilisation of public funds". The delegation led by PCC President Niranjan...
12:45 AM, Apr 27, 2013
Bhubaneswar: With the BJD intensifying its anti-Centre tirade accusing it of neglecting Odisha, opposition Congress on Monday said the ruling party was trying to "exploit" the sentiments of the people by making such allegations. "BJD is simply exploiting the sentiment of people by taking name of special category state status for Odisha and alleging Central negligence," Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik told reporters. Claiming that the BJD's...
03:00 AM, Apr 23, 2013
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Saturday said its leaders would meet President, Prime Minister, Finance Minister and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to press for special category status for the state. "We will meet Prime Minister, Congress resident and others to press Odisha's demand of a special category state status," OPCC President Niranjan Patnaik told reporters after the ruling BJD called for a 12-hour bandh demanding special category status...
10:58 PM, Apr 20, 2013
Leaving no scope for the BJP to duck the issue, the Janata Dal (United), one of its key allies, demanded that the party announce its prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 general election by year-end. It also added that the candidate should have 'secular credentials'. But former ally, Odisha Chief Minister and BJD Leader Naveen Patnaik, ruled out giving any help to the BJP in its hour of crisis. Reflecting ...
02:13 PM, Apr 15, 2013
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's former political advisor and Rajya Sabha MP Pyarimohan Mohapatra launched his political party, Odisha Janamorcha on Tuesday. Mohapatra had allegedly tried to topple the Patnaik government in May 2012 but had failed and was expelled from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Earlier in January, stepping up his attack on the Patnaik government, the expelled leader had threatened to expose corruption in Odisha's coal sector....
09:49 AM, Apr 09, 2013
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution requesting the Centre to award special category status to the state and provide additional central grants and fiscal incentives for its development. A motion in this regard, moved by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, was supported by all political parties, including the main opposition Congress. The resolution was passed in the House after seven-hour long discussion on the subject. This was for...
11:14 PM, Apr 04, 2013
Bhubaneswar: Opposition Congress put 40 SC and ST MLAs of the ruling BJD in a fix in the state Assembly by suddenly demanding division of vote at the introduction stage of a bill for reservation to SC and ST in government jobs. The opposition Congress raised objection to the Odisha Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services (for SC and ST) Amendment Bill, 2013, by claiming that it lacked provision...
11:20 PM, Apr 03, 2013
The Congress' bid to oust Odisha Assembly Speaker Pradip Kumat Amat suffered a jolt on Wednesday as its notice for adoption of a resolution was rejected for failing to garner the support of at least 28 members of the House. The notice with signature of 27 Congress MLAs was taken up for consideration by the House after completion of stipulated 14 working days gap. ...
05:46 PM, Apr 03, 2013
Against the backdrop of Samajwadi Party (SP) president Mulayam Singh Yadav raising the issue of a Third Front, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday said he is watching the situation as it develops before taking a call on it. Asked about his views on the formation of a Third Front, Patnaik said, "We will have to wait and watch and see how these...
02:06 PM, Mar 28, 2013
With former Odisha Law minister Raghunath Mohanty refusing to respond the ruling BJD's call for surrender, a large number of women Congress activists courted arrest while demanding Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's resignation. ...
01:00 PM, Mar 28, 2013
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav is ready to withdraw support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), party sources said on Monday, adding that he might hold a public rally soon to make his decision official. ...
10:35 PM, Mar 25, 2013
The Congress appealed to all parties to form a united secular front against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and vote for the government on FDI in retail in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari said, "It is an opportunity for parties like BJD and TMC to show their secular credentials and vote for the government." ...
12:02 PM, Dec 05, 2012
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari said, "It is an opportunity for parties like BJD and TMC to show their secular credentials and vote for the government." ...
11:36 AM, Dec 05, 2012
Stepping up his attack on the Naveen Patnaik government, expelled BJD leader Pyari Mohan Mohapatra on Saturday threatened to expose corruption in Odisha's coal sector. "There are documents - a 'brahmastra' relating to corruption in the coal sector, involving Sainik firm. The weapon will expose and unmask those responsible for irregularities," Mohapatra said at the sideline of a rally at Koraput. ...
02:22 AM, Nov 25, 2012
New Delhi: An attempt by former UPA ally the Trinamool Congress to bring a no-confidence motion against the government over FDI in retail failed on Thursday in the Lok Sabha for want of requisite numbers. Mamata Banerjee's party moved the motion as soon as Parliament met for the Winter Session but Speaker Meira Kumar disallowed it as it could not muster the required support of 50 members. The motion, first...
02:04 PM, Nov 22, 2012
Bhubaneswar: Rebel Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Pyari Mohan Mohapatra, who was suspended from the party six months ago for attempting a coup against the Naveen Patnaik government, was on Friday expelled for anti-party activities. The decision to expel Mohapatra, who had floated the Odisha Jana Morcha (OJM) within the BJD, and his close aide Jagneswar Babu was announced by BJD President and Chief Minister Naveen...
05:02 PM, Nov 16, 2012
Bhubaneswar: Rebel Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Pyari Mohan Mohapatra, who was suspended from the party six months ago for attempting a coup against the Naveen Patnaik government, was on Friday expelled for anti-party activities. The decision to expel Mohapatra, who had floated the Odisha Jana Morcha (OJM) within the BJD, and his close aide Jagneswar Babu was announced by BJD President and Chief Minister Naveen...
04:40 PM, Nov 16, 2012
