Bhubaneswar/Bargarh, Dec 3 (PTI) Campaigning in poll-bound Padampur in Odisha ended on a bitter note on Saturday with senior BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Saturday urging the voters not to trust the ruling BJD, a statement which was strongly objected to by the regional party.

Also Read | #Delhi’s Karkardooma Court Has Acquitted 2020 Delhi Riots’ Accused #UmarKhalid and … – Latest Tweet by IANS India.

Reacting over Pradhan's remarks that Patnaik tells "lies", that he was tired, unable to think and "repeated the words of his gumastas" (agents, officiers), BJD MP and spokesperson Sasmit Patra asked him to maintain "dignity and respect" of the chief minister.

Patra came down heavily on Pradhan, who is the face of BJP in the state, at press conference here.

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: 10-Year-Old Missing Girl Found Dead in Agricultural Field in Pilibhit.

“Patnaik is the tallest leader in Odisha. Please maintain dignity and respect at least when you (Pradhan) are speaking about the chief minister," he said adding the people of the state will not like any attack on Patnaik.

Continuing his criticism of Pradhan, Patra said, "It seems you are disturbed and scared after seeing the massive response to the chief minister's rallies yesterday (on Friday) in Padampur. You have already seen the writing on the wall that BJP is headed for a massive defeat (in the Padampur by-poll). Please accept this fact”.

The BJD leader raked up BJP's loss in the by-election in Bijepur assembly seat. “You learnt it the hard way in 2018 Bijepur by-poll when a BJP person threw chappals at the chief minister. The people of Bijepur did not like it and made BJD victorious with a very high margin. You again attacked him today with disparaging words; the people of Padampur will not like it and give you a befitting reply,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Pradhan bringing the campaigning for the December 5 by-poll to a close hit out at Patnaik for pledging to accord district status to Padampur sub-division by 2023.

“The BJD president simply utters lies though he claims that he works more and speaks less. He had assured a delegation to make Padampur a district in 2019. Now he is saying that he will do it by 2023. Therefore, do not trust him”.

In this context he mentioned that the Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Pramila Mallick had informed the Assembly two days ago that the government has no plan to create any new district in the state.

"Therefore, Patnaik has made a false pledge to fulfil the dream of a Padampur district,” Pradhan said.

The senior BJP leader also hit back at Patnaik for saying in his campaign meetings that BJP was "shedding crocodile tears" for the poor, the kendu leaf pluckers and farmers. He said “You criticised the 18 per cent GST on kendu leaf trade, but your finance minister never raised the issue in the GST council. It is you who is shedding crocodile tears for the kendu leaf pluckers and the poor people.”

Claiming that Patnaik had taken "leave" from the Assembly for two years now, Pradhan went on to say “You (Patnaik) are too tired and are repeating what your gumastas (agents, officiers) speak in your ears. Sometimes I feel that you have lost the ability to think. The officers put lies in your ears to get votes.”

The Padampur by-election, to be held on December 5, is important in that that it is likely to be the last poll before the Lok Sabha and state election in 2024 and impact the politics of the state.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)