Congres, BJP demand Odisha CM's resignation

A day before Odisha assembly's monsoon session begins, the opposition Congress and the BJP on Monday demanded resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on issues of Sarathi Baba and false implication of former DGP Prakash Mishra.

While Congress took out a massive rally and submitted a memorandum to Governor S.C. Jamir, demanding Patnaik's resignation for deteriorating law and order situation and alleged links of ruling Biju Janata Dal leaders with Sarathi Baba, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised the issue of false implication of former director general of police Mishra in a vigilance case.

Odisha's Pradesh Congress Committee president Prasad Harichandan said the relation of BJD leaders with Sarathi Baba, arrested by Crime Branch for economic offences, has been exposed.

He said the highhandedness of police in Kendrapada, Keonjhar and certain other districts shows that government has unleashed police rule in the state.

Armed with Supreme Court verdict, the state BJP also demanded resignation of the chief minister for falsely implicating Mishra in a vigilance case, which was quashed by the apex court.

The Supreme Court on Monday quashed the petition of the state government, which had challenged the Orissa High Court verdict that had gone in favour of Mishra. Earlier, the High Court had quashed an FIR against Mishra over financial irregularities.

"The state government got a slap on its face after the apex court quashed its petition. The chief minister must resign as the FIR against the former DGP could not have been filed without the knowledge of him," said state BJP president K.V. Singhdeo.

Senior BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra said the government is protecting the officers responsible for law and order problem while it is hounding honest officers like Mishra.

BJD spokesperson Sameer Dash, however, refuted the demands of opposition stating that there was no reason for resignation of Chief Minister.