OD-PATNAIK-SUPPORT

BJD will play important role in govt formation at Centre:
Patnaik
    Bhubaneswar, Apr 9 (PTI) Ruling BJD president and
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday said no party will get
absolute majority in the Lok Sabha election and claimed that
Odisha will play an important role in the formation of the
next government at the Centre.
    Patnaik said the regional party will support a
government at the Centre that supports Odisha's legitimate
rights.
    "This time no national party will get majority on its
own to form government. Odisha will have a role in the
formation of the next Central government. There, the BJD
will support a government which will meet the state's rights,"
he said while releasing the BJD's manifesto.
    Alleging that successive Central governments have
neglected the rights of Odisha, Patnaik said: "This neglect is
historic and has led to Odisha being at the bottom of all
Central subjects like telecom, railways, banking and national
highways."
    Patnaik said the previous Congress led UPA government
provided national status to Pollavaram Dam and the present NDA
government supported the then BJP government in Chhattishgarh
against the interest of Odisha.
    "In both the cases, Odisha had to take recourse of
legal remedies," the chief minister said.
    Targeting the saffron party, Patnaik said: "What could
have been a more cruel joke on Odisha by the BJP than the
promise of Special Category Status?"
    He alleged that the number one manifesto promise of
BJP in 2014, was forgotten for five years and finds no
mention in the present manifesto. "Special Category Status is
the only way to rectify the historic neglect that Odisha has
suffered," Patnaik said.
    "In denying Special Category Status to Odisha, BJP is
denying the aspirations of youths of Odisha," Patnaik said.
    He also raised issues like coal royalty revision. PTI
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