The Congress party in Odisha on Saturday described the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Biju Janata Dal as political partners, hours after Prime Minister Modi addressed CM Naveen Patnaik as his ‘mitra’ (friend). Inaugurating the campus of the Indian Institute of Management in Odisha’s Sambalpur Modi addressed CM Patnaik as “Mukhyamantri, Mere Mitra Sriman Naveen Patnaik ji (chief minister, my friend Naveen Patnaik ji)”

Reacting to this statement of the Prime Minister AICC Odisha in-charge Ajoy Kumar said that the PM did not utter a single word about Patnaik or his close aide VK Pandian and that this proved “both BJD and BJP are together.”

“This proves that both BJD and BJP are together, that’s why we organised their symbolic marriage recently. They are in a secret alliance and Pandian had set up the bond by holding discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. BJD is no more a different party, it has now become BJP,” the Congress leader alleged.

However, the BJP president of Odisha Manmohan Samal refuted the allegations. He said, “He (PM) has indicated that some parties were opposing development works. Now, the people can witness what can be done for them, if BJP forms government in the state.”

Prime Minister Modi arrived in Odisha on Saturday to unveil development projects worth over ₹68,000 crore. The PM also took a walkthrough of the model of IIM Sambalpur and looked at the photo exhibition showcased on the occasion. The PM underlined that the people of Odisha will reap the benefits of development projects. He said that it will create thousands of new employment opportunities for the youth of Odisha across all sections.

(With inputs from ANI)