"Didn't Think He'd Stoop So Low": Jay Panda Slams Naveen Patnaik

BJP national vice president Baijayant Jay Panda on Thursday hit back at Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, a day after the chief minister said Biju Janata Dal's candidate for Kendrapara will not hide anything in his affidavit like drawing salary and working for a mining company.

Mr Panda had resigned from the BJD and his Lok Sabha membership last year. He joined the BJP this year and is now the party's candidate for the Kendrapara seat.

While announcing the name of the BJD candidate for the Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat on Wednesday, Mr Patnaik had said "Anubhav Mohanty will be working only for the interest of the people of Kendrapara and he will have nothing to hide in his affidavit like drawing salary and working for a mining company".

But Mr Patnaik did not name Mr Panda. Mr Panda's family owns a mining company.

Reacting to the chief minister's statement, Mr Panda said on Twitter, "Didn't think Naveen would stoop so low. He of all people should be aware of my family's 60-year-old industry, with which late Biju uncle was very familiar and dependant, for decades."

He further said, "Also, I have never been involved in granting mining leases to companies one year before they were formed."

After Mr Panda's resignation from the BJD, the regional party had alleged that Mr Panda had not mentioned in his affidavit while filing nomination in the last parliamentary poll that he also draws salary from the mining company owned by his family.