Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee on Thursday adopted a novel way to "expose" what it called the “clandestine relationship” between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the state’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
The grand old party solemnised the marriage of the two parties at a special function here in the city.
The satirical as well as humorous wedding was solemnised at Master Canteen Square near Congress party’s state headquarters with a proper and well-decorated altar. A priest was called to conduct a yajna with marriage mantras. The party even went to the extent of printing invitation cards for the marriage with the date and venue for the same.
At the marriage altar, the BJD and BJP were treated as groom and bride, respectively.
Distributing invitation cards to the guests, Congress said both the BJP and BJD have been together since the last 25 years. Now it is time to marry them off.
“This is nothing new. They have been together for 25 years. Not a single bill brought by the Central government has ever been opposed by the BJD in the Parliament. Their friendship is so strong that they even send MPs to Rajya Sabha together. BJD’s chit-fund scam has been suppressed by the Centre. But they are doing a drama of opposing each other before the people,” said Student Congress president Yasser Nawaj.
“This is the holy land of Lord Jagannath. We do not accept live-in relationships in Odisha. So if they are together, it is better to marry them off, so that the people will know their actual relationship,” Nawaj added.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) leader in charge of Odisha, Ajoy Kumar said, “BJD is the brand ambassador and partner in life with BJP. They roam hand in hand in Delhi’s Lodhi Park and stage drama in Odisha to hoodwink voters.”
On Wednesday, Ajoy Kumar had even alleged that the BJD and BJP had a “live-in” relationship.
Responding to Congress’s allegations and the wedding, BJP leader Biranchi Narayan Tripathy said, “Congress has become delusional as they have neared their extinction in Odisha and India. Congress does not have any moral grounds to say this.”
Similarly, BJD leader Bhupindar Singh said, “It will not have any effect on the people. Voters generally never accept a party which plays such a game during election time.”
The Congress had undertaken a similar marriage of BJP and BRS in Telangana before the Assembly elections last year.
Notably, the Odisha Congress has kick-started a 20-day-long Jana Sampark Bus Yatra from January 21. The Yatra will cover all the 147 Assembly constituencies in the state.
