Naveen Patnaik Slams BJP Government in Odisha: Says Long Speeches, Ads Can’t Bring Development

Bhubaneswar, June 10 : Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Odisha, accusing it of failing to deliver on development promises even a year after taking charge.

Addressing party workers at the BJD headquarters in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, Patnaik criticized the BJP-led administration for relying on “long speeches and big advertisements” rather than implementing tangible welfare initiatives.

“They call it a people’s government. But where are the people?” he questioned. “Development does not come through speeches and promotions. It comes through real work.”

Highlighting the achievements of his own government, Patnaik said 90 percent of the state’s population had benefitted from the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana. He contrasted this with the current scenario under the BJP’s Ayushman Bharat scheme, alleging that patients are struggling to access medicines and treatment without incurring costs.

He further claimed that Odisha’s healthcare system is in a state of collapse, citing that 19 out of the 30 districts currently do not have a Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO). “Is this the success they are advertising?” Patnaik asked.

The former CM also accused the BJP government of undermining Mission Shakti, an initiative he said had empowered over 70 lakh women during the BJD’s tenure. According to Patnaik, Mission Shakti members are now being harassed at banks and are being denied work opportunities in government offices. “This is the biggest mistake of the current government. The mothers will never forgive this,” he warned.

On the economic front, Patnaik said that when the BJD took over in 2000, Odisha was reeling under a debt of Rs 18,000 crore and an overdraft-run administration. “When we left in 2024, the treasury had a surplus of Rs 45,000 crore. Today, the state is once again burdened with record levels of debt,” he alleged.

He also pointed to improvements in development indices such as Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) under the BJD government as evidence of the party’s focus on long-term development.

Concluding his address, Patnaik asserted that the BJD will continue to play the role of a responsible opposition and will always work for the welfare and progress of Odisha.