By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, February 4, 2016: An ugly battle to take credit for the 15-million-ton oil refinery in Paradip between the Bharatiya Janata Party [BJP] and Biju Janata Dal [BJD] has spilled over to the streets here with the appearance of hundreds of posters and banners of prime minister Modi and Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik across the city.

Prime Minister is scheduled to inaugurate the refinery at Paradip on Sunday.

The posters of a smiling Modi carry the logo of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), there is no mention of mention the launch of the Paradip refinery.
BJD leaders say that the public utility is only batting for the BJP.

The BJD somehow managed to insert the posters of its own mascots – chief minister Naveen Patnaik and his father Biju Patnaik – between those of Modi. But going by sheer number, Modi has beaten the Patnaiks on their home turf.

Earlier, the Prime Minister was to arrive here on February 6 on a two-day visit. But now the trip is only for a day. He will reach here on February 7 and leave the state the same day.

The war over posters began when the IOCL rolled out 30 campaign vehicles announcing the launch of the refinery project. The BJD took objection to the use of the pictures of union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan on the vehicles.

On the ground of violation of the Supreme Court ruling, the state government sought a report from the Jagatsinghpur collector and the IOCL subsequently removed Pradhan’s picture from the campaign vehicles.

The Jagatsinghpur district administration even seized some of these vehicles.

The BJP on its part has launched a campaign on various TV channels to spread the message about Modi’s trip.

BJD vice-president and senior minister Damodar Rout on Thursday demanded a CBI inquiry into source of funding of the BJP’s campaign. “Dharmendra Pradhan is treating the IOCL programme as a party event. It seems the Indian Oil Corporation Limited has sponsored the BJP’s campaign. The CBI should inquire into the expenditure made on this count.”

“BJP leaders should remember that Narendra Modi is coming here as the Prime Minister of India. Here, the chief minister plays the role of the host and the Prime Minister is the guest. This is a national project and no attempt should be made by the state BJP to take credit for it. They should refrain from trying to turn it into a party event,” Rout who represents Paradip assembly constituency told the media persons.

Replying to the charge, BJP spokesperson Sajjan Sharma told Bizodisha, “The minister is feeling insecure in his party. It will be better if he stops making comments like this.”
Sharma dared Rout to ask the chief minister recommend a CBI probe.

Congress leader Nirajan Patnaik in a statement made it clear that the credit should go to Congress as it had initiated the project. “Let us not distort history. The idea of setting up oil refinery was first mooted by Congress government in 1985 when I was the industry minister. The project work began after 1995 when Congress returned to power.”