The Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) criticised Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday for his remarks made during an event in Khordha, where he alleged widespread corruption regarding the “5T schools” initiative under the previous administration.
In an official statement, the regional party asserted that the Chief Minister and his administration are resorting to such accusations merely to cover up their own governance failures. The BJD further claimed that the people of Odisha have become wise to the “falsehoods” being spread by the Mohan Majhi-led government.
BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty on Wednesday stated that within just 18 months, the BJP-led state government has reached a “peak of failure” across every sector. He alleged that the BJP secured power by making grand promises and levelling fabricated corruption charges against the former government.
“However, the BJP government’s inefficiency and failures have now become an open secret. The government that promised to make Odisha number one has itself become number one in incompetence in the entire country. Even after allocations were made in the state budget, most departments have failed to spend more than 40 per cent of their allotted funds. Because of the government’s inconsistent and whimsical decisions, people across the state are suffering,” Mohanty said.
He highlighted several areas of alleged failure, including recent confusion over pollution certificate mandates, a reduction in Central government grants, a sharp decline in state revenue from mineral resources, and an increase in crimes against women.
Mohanty also pointed out that despite being in power for 18 months, the BJP government has failed to substantiate a single corruption case, yet continues to propagate what he described as baseless claims against the prior regime.
“On one hand, the Chief Minister accuses the earlier government of corruption in the name of 5T schools, but on the other hand, the same BJP government has officially acknowledged under the ‘Utkarsa Odisha’ industrial initiative that Odisha has strong institutional mechanisms like 5T to attract industries,” Mohanty said.
Accusing the BJP government of maintaining double standards, Mohanty urged Chief Minister Majhi to stop making unfounded allegations and instead concentrate on enhancing the state’s governance and administration.
