BJD, Cong two sides of same coin: Amit Shah

BJP president Amit Shah came down heavily on the Congress and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), terming them as "two sides of the same coin", and alleging that the two parties failed to ensure Odisha's development.

Addressing the 'Adibasi Adhikar Samabesh' here, Shah dubbed the BJD as the 'B-'team' of the Congress.

"BJD is B-team of the Congress. They are two sides of the same coin. Neither Congress nor BJD was able to develop Odisha," he said.

Taking a swipe at the Congress over the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), the BJP chief asserted that the scheme was also under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), but termed it as 'Dealer Broker Transfer'.

"In our tenure, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) ensures money is directly credited into the account of the beneficiaries. The Congress too had DBT yojana - Dealer Broker Transfer - where the money was credited into the accounts of the middlemen," Shah said.

Sharpening his attack on the Congress, the BJP president said, "In 10 years, UPA claimed to have waived loans of farmers worth Rs 57,000 crore for 3 crore farmers only. However, in the recent budget we plan to spend around Rs 75,000 crore, benefitting around 12 crore farmers."

"UPA had budget of Rs 30,700 crore for the Scheduled Tribes. On the other hand, in the recent budget, our govt has proposed Rs 50,000 crore for them. Under the Congress, MSP (minimum support price) was given on only six forest produce. However, now it has been increased to 49," he added.

Chiding state chief minister Naveen Patnaik for his inability to communicate in Odia, Shah said, "Do elect an Odia-speaking Chief Minister (in the elections). It is a question of respect for the Odia language. If the state chief minister cannot speak in Odia, then he has no right to rule."

Accusing Patnaik of not implementing the Centre's Ayushman Bharat Yojana in the state, the BJP chief remarked that the Odisha Chief Minister did not do so as he "feared that it will increase Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity."

"Your Chief Minister has not implemented Ayushman Bharat Yojana in Odisha, he fears that it will increase Narendra Modi Ji's popularity. If you want, you can remove our names from the scheme but why are you troubling the poor people of Odisha?"

Shah further said that by not implementing the healthcare scheme, it meant depriving the needy and the poor of their right to quality healthcare.