BJD raises Polavaram issue in Odisha assembly

A day after Biju Janata Dal MPs in the Rajya Sabha opposed the central government to provide finance to Polavaram irrigation project, Odisha's ruling party on Wednesday raised the issue in the state assembly.

They also staged a demonstration before the Mahatma Gandhi statue inside the assembly by holding banners and shouting slogans against the union government.

Amid the ruckus by Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party members over alleged irregularities in recruitment of assistant executive engineers' appointments, the BJD members raked up the contentious Polavaram issue during the zero hour.

The issue was initially raised by Malkangir legislator Manas Madkami. Later, another BJD member Samir Dash raised the issue amid uproar in the assembly that forced the speaker to adjourn the house.

"The issue raised by our MPs in Rajya Sabha was also highlighted by our legislators today. The Polavaram issue has exposed both the Congress and BJP. The current NDA regime is no different from the UPA, which supported the Polavaram project with a political motive," said Industries Minister Debi Prasad Mishra.

He said the central government is going ahead with the project without consulting the states to be affected following the materialisation of the irrigation project.

Senior Congress leader and leader of opposition Narasingh Mishra said the ruling party was raising the issue only to divert the attention from the recruitment scam of assistant executive engineers, which has taken place with the knowledge of the chief minister.