Naveen Patnaik regrets sending Panda to Lok Sabha

"This 40 yr old dream for Kendrapara remained on paper till I become MP, pushed it thru with hundreds of review meetings," he said

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday said he regrets having nominated Baijayant Panda as BJD candidate from Kendrapara Lok Sabha seats twice and supporting his elections in 2009 and 2014. Panda, who had last year resigned from ruling BJD, recently joined BJP and is contesting from Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat as a saffron party candidate this time.

I had assigned a young and highly educated person the task of development of Kendrapara. However, he (Panda) betrayed the people and worked for himself," Patnaik alleged ahead of a roadshow in the constituency which goes to the polls in the fourth and last phase on April 29. "However, the people of Kendrapara will never spare the traitor, said Patnaik who is making all-out efforts for Panda's defeat. Simultaneous polls are on for Lok Sabha and state assembly in Odisha. Assuring the people of Kendrapara that development of the district is his responsibility, Patnaik, who has been the chief minister since 2000 and is seeking a fifth term this time, said he will now personally monitor it.

The chief minister said this time he has nominated an educated and popular man, who will work for the development of Kendrapara. BJD has pitted its Rajya Sabha MP and cine star Anubhav Mohanty against Panda. Panda rejected the allegations made by Patnaik. He said in a Twitter post: "Sad to see how Naveen has been hoodwinked by his coterie! "One of the greatest proponents of the Haridaspur-Paradip rail project was Biju uncle (Naveen Patnaik's father Biju Patnaik) himself! "This 40 yr old dream for Kendrapara remained on paper till I become MP, pushed it thru with hundreds of review meetings," he said.

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