Now BJP Aims Guns At Retired Babus In CMO; BJD Retaliates

Bhubaneswar: While the entire state is seeming to be out of gear due to the drivers’ strike, the Opposition BJP went all guns blazing against Odisha’s ruling BJD during the budget session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly.

Coming down heavily on the ruling party, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Jayanarayan Mishra attacked the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government over the appointment of retired officers at the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

Demanding the government to come up with a statement in the House, Mishra said, “There are many dynamic officers in the State. But instead of recruiting them what is the need of appointing the retired officers? The move of the government aims at rehabilitation of the officers who will act like their puppets.”

“Most of the retired officers were given reappointment at the CM’s office making it a retired officers’ club. When the state is struggling to provide employment to the youths, the reappointment of retired officers is really shocking,” said Mishra.

Retaliating to the LoP’s statement, BJD MLA Arun Sahoo questioned how many retired IAS officers have been appointed at the office of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He also questioned the appointment of retired officers at PM Narendra Modi’s office and other offices at the South Block.

“The Opposition questioned who are there at the CMO. As per the Assembly rule book, those who are not present at the House, their names cannot be taken. It seems they have forgotten the practice which needs to be followed inside the House,” Sahoo said.