By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, December 26, 2016 : Even as prime minister, Narendra Modi is scheduled to dedicate the state-run Indian Oil Corporation Ltd’s [IOCL] refinery at Paradip to the nation on February 7, the ruling party in Odisha, Biju Janata Dal [BJD] and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party [BJP] at the centre are crossing swords over credit for the much awaited project.

BJP national secretary Suresh Pujari said, “The IOCL refinery is a national project and the PM is visiting the State to dedicate it to the nation. It is definitely a mean thing as some are trying to get a political mileage out of the project. It is laughable to take credit of everything.”

Pujari further stated, “Who has taken the labour pain must be given a chance for delivery.”

He said as the foundation stone was laid for the IOCL refinery project during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s regime, the credit should go to the Centre.

Countering the BJP’s claim, BJD spokesperson Shashi Bhushan Behera said, “It is a pride for the State to get a national project. BJD also feels proud and should be given the due credit.”
Behera added, “If there had been no Paradip, whether IOCL would have come here and set up a refinery. There is another mother above that mother.”

Campaign vans of IOCL named ‘Jan Amantran’ vehicles have sparked a war of words between BJD and BJP.

The State government has already opposed display of union minister and senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan’s picture along with the Prime Minister on the posters displayed by the campaign vans.

The campaign vans were flagged off by Pradhan on Saturday to invite people to the dedication of Rs 35,000-crore IOCL oil refinery project to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 7.

Meanwhile, the state government has asked the Jagatsinghpur Collector to submit a status report over alleged violation of SC stricture.