PURI: Orissa Chief Minister and Janata Dal leader Biju Patnaik on Tuesday launched the Lok Sabha election campaign by seeking the peoples mandate for revolting against the Central government which has become flabby unwieldy and unmanageable and was neglecting the progress of the individual states

A largely attended public meeting held at the main entrance of Lord Jagannath temples Singh a Dwar in the ancient pilgrim town of Puri marked the inauguration of the electioneering.

In a spirited 40-minute speech the chief minister said that the country’s financial position has touched a point when neither the World Bank nor the IMF was willing to lend a single dollar as a loan to India. It was therefore impossible for Orissa to expect any assistance from the Central government

As a chief minister of this state if I can’t secure a second steel plant nor improve the Para deep 2nd Gopal pur port or think of laying additional railway lines what option do I have except to rebel? Biju Patnaik questioned the audience

Turning towards the temple gates and seemingly addressing Lord Jagannath   himself the chief minister asked Oh Lord tell me what to do. Lam willing to revolt for the sake of my people. If l can’t do it let me die.

Mr Biju Patnaik said that in the power Structure as it existed at present the chic ministers of different states had become irrelevant and could do nothing to benefit the people in their states An alternate Set-up was urgently called for but nom came forward to boldly voice their feeling: as power and office was silencing every one.

All the same the ideas he put forth for grant of more autonomy to states in economic and fiscal matters was being supported by West Bengal chief minister Mi Jyoti Basu former Tamil Nadu chief minister Mr Karunanidhi and even the Prime Minister Mr Chandra Shekhar the Orissa chief minister added

Mr Biju Patnaik said that to clear the misunderstandings that arose on his recent he had met and tried to convince big newspaper reporters at Delhi that he was not seeking secession from the Indian Union but only demanding greater autonomy to the states.

Article extracted from this publication >> April 19, 1991