Bhubaneswar: BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday accused Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of having created a "bizarre" political culture of giving bureaucrats an edge over the powers of elected representatives. Shah, after releasing the party's manifesto here, alleged that senior leaders of the ruling BJD have been sidelined and their rights are handed over to bureaucrats.

"Odisha is being run without peoples' representatives, which is against the democratic spirit of the nation. "A 'vichitra' (bizarre) political culture has evolved during the tenure of Naveen Patnaik where rights of elected representatives' are being bestowed on officers," the BJP chief said. Pointing out that corruption has "spread from top to bottom" in Odisha, Shah said the malaise is pushing the state backward in all parameters.