Perhaps, Gopal Isn’t Naba Das’ Killer: Cong Leader Bijay Patnaik

Bhubaneswar: Former Odisha Chief Secretary Bijay Patnaik returned from Delhi on Monday after joining the Congress party. He held a press conference here at Congress Bhawan and claimed that the grand old party will come to power in 2024.

Patnaik, who recently joined the Congress party also made an explosive statement in the Naba Das murder case; He said, “Perhaps, the ASI Gopal Das has not killed Minister Naba Das. Crime Branch needs to unravel the truth. If it fails, the case should be handed over to the CBI.”

Speaking to media persons, Patnaik said, “Whom a general public would approach? If one person takes his grievances to an MLA, he/she is asked to approach govt officer. The government officer refers the person to the third floor which is unreachable, even for journalists. Change needed in this closed-door governance”

Criticising the Odisha government, he said”Odias are being exploited in Odisha. Contractors of the state are not getting work here. There is a dearth of jobs and increasing unemployment. People are migrating to other states to work as labourers after not getting work here.”

The former chief secretary of Odisha, Bijay Patnaik Joined the Congress on Friday. He was formally inducted into the party at the headquarters of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in New Delhi in the presence of several senior leaders of the party. Odisha Congress in-charge A Chellakumar and the party’s state unit president Sarat Pattanayak were also present.