V.K. Pandian, the man Friday of Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, on Friday alleged that the BJP leadership was conspiring to close down the state’s flagship programmes like Biju Swasthya Kalayan Yojana and Mission Shakti Yojana.

Under the Biju Swastya Kalayan Yojana, the state government is providing free treatment to people and it initiates steps for women empowerment under Mission Shakti Yojana.

On Friday, Union home minister Amit Shah criticised the Odisha government for not implementing the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat Yojana. Addressing a public meeting at Umerkote and Jharigaon in Nabarangpur district, Pandian said: “We had planned a visit of women under Mission Shakti to Dubai. But they did not allow us to do it and they got the trip cancelled. The mothers will give a befitting reply to them in the coming election.” Pandian is among the star campaigners of the BJD.

Making a veiled attack on Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the face of the BJP in Odisha, Pandian said: “Even though he has been the Union education minister for the last five years, he has failed to open even a central school in this tribal-dominated Nabarangpur. However, Odisha has been able to transform more than 8000 schools under the 5 T (Transformational Initiatives) programme.”

On the other hand, the BJP said under the guise of 5 T, there was massive corruption. “There was a scam of Rs 40,000 crores under 5 T. The chief minister has put the state in a plunge of darkness by paving the way for Pandian to be his successor,” said BJP state unit former president Samir Mohanty.