Mahapatra dares Naveen in Orissa assembly polls

Mahapatra announced the political and economic agenda of the forum by announcing that the OGP workers would take to the streets if both the Centre and the state government did not take steps to improve things in Orissa within the next two months. Mahapatra threatened that functioning in the Central Government offices in the state would be paralysed unless Orissa was declared a special category state and coal royalty revised.

The rally turned out to be impressive despite attempts by the Government to foil it. Houses of workers and supporters of Mahapatra in Kendrapara district were raided on Saturday, vehicles were stopped on the way and ministers were asked to tour the districts to prevent OGP workers to reach Bhubaneswar. Even official machinery was used to persuade people not to come to Bhubaneswar in the name of cyclone. Even the government was reportedly contemplating to arrest Mahapatra at Bhubaneswar.

To confuse the workers, the BJD and BJP also organised a joint rally at Kendrapara. But surmounting all hurdles, workers from all over the state and far away districts including Nuapada, Bolangir, Nowarangpur, Koraput reached Bhubaneswar to attend the rally.

Advising the chief minister to refrain from backbiting, Mahapatra reminded Patnaik that in the last assembly polls the BJD candidate was defeated by the candidate supported by him in Patkura constituency.

Criticising the chief minister for trying every trick to foil the rally, Mahapatra said that things were not so bad even during the Congress rule. The OGP chief claimed that many ministers, MLAs and leaders are in touch with him to join the forum.