Modi's corruption charges surprise BJD

Despite the bonhomie between the BJP and the BJD at the central level, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's corruption charges against the Naveen Patnaik government has surprised the ruling BJD in Odisha, party leaders said Sunday.

At a public meeting in Jharsuguda Saturday, Modi slammed the BJD government claiming that percentage commission culture and delay in taking decisions have become identity of the state administration resulting in its "tardy" development.

Ahead of the Assembly election due next year with the general poll, the Prime Minister also called for a 'big change' to give pace to development in the state.

"After extending so much support, we never expected that the Prime Minister himself could make such wild allegations against our government," said a senior BJD leader close to Patnaik.

The BJD has supported NDA candidates in both the Presidential poll in June last year and the election of the Rajya Sabha deputy Chairman last month. This apart, despite claiming about maintaining equal distance to both the Congress and the BJP, the BJD's 20 MPs stayed away from Lok Sabha when no-confidence motion was moved against the Modi government in July this year.

"The BJD has all along been supportive to the BJP led government at the Centre even in the face of criticism from the Congress," the BJD leader said on condition of anonymity.

Modi's wild charges against the Odisha government have diminished his stature and lowered his image, BJD spokesperson P K Deb said.

While state BJP leaders have been attacking the BJD government, such remarks were not expected from the Prime Minister during an official visit, another BJD leader said.

Patnaik, considered as soft spoken and suave, was also forced to open his mouth following the Prime Minister's allegations, a BJD leader said.

The chief minister, also the BJD president, generally does not react to allegations made by his rivals, but he was surprised and hit back.

Only a week ago, the leader said, the Chief Minister's Office here had received a letter from BJP president Amit Shah praising Patnaik for showing humanitarian attitude after the demise of former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee.