Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday targeted the Odisha government, alleging that a BJD-BJP partnership was running the state.

Rahul, while addressing a gathering at Rourkela during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, said: “Here, a partnership between Naveen Patnaik and Narendra Modi is going on. They have joined hands and are working together. I have witnessed it in Parliament. Whenever the BJP needs any kind of support, Modi seeks the BJD’s help. The BJD people ‘tang karna shuru karte hai’ and harass us. There exists a partnership between the BJD and the BJP and the Congress is fighting against the nexus.”

The Prime Minister, during his visit to Sambalpur on February 3, addressed the Odisha chief minister as his mitra.

Rahul pointed out that unemployment is the biggest issue in Odisha. “All the factories have been closed. 30 lakh people have migrated from Odisha to other states in search of employment. They work there as labourers and die of hunger.

“The Odisha government is not functioning, it’s inactive. 30 billionaires and industrialists have come to the state to loot its resources. This is the condition of the state. There are instances of atrocities against tribals and Dalits. I have come here to listen to all of you and all your grievances.”

Taking a jibe at the BJP and the RSS, Rahul said: “The BJP and the RSS are spreading hatred. Main nafrat ki bazar me mohabbat ki dukan Khulne aaya hu (I have come to open a shop of love in the market of hatred).”

Hundreds of women queued up on the roadside in colourful saris and waved flags to welcome Rahul. Rahul, standing on an open red-colour jeep, greeted all and shook hands with everyone who rushed near the jeep breaking the security cordon. It was a lifetime opportunity they did not want to miss.

Along with security personnel, thousands of supporters of Rahul ran alongside the moving jeep to ensure that they were a part of the Yatra. On numerous occasions, he got down from the jeep, breached the security cordon and interacted with the public.

He visited Veda Vyasa temple and offered prayers before addressing the public meeting. The temple is dedicated to sage Vyasa, who is believed to have written the Mahabharata and Vedas. Shiva is the presiding deity of the temple.

Senior Congress leader Jayram Ramesh equated the BJD and the BJP as the two sides of a coin.

“The Congress is fighting against the BJP-RSS ideology. The public sectors turn to be the private sectors. Earlier steps were taken to disinvest Nalco and NTPC. The time will come when the Rourkela Steel plant will be sold and the BJD will just witness it. It will have no impact on the BJD.”

Stating that the BJD-BJP government is in the clutches of the rich, Jairam Ramesh said: “Whenever I approach the BJD and their members on various issues, they say that they have instructions from Bhubaneswar to support Modiji.

“During any discussion or the passage of any bill, the BJD refrains from criticising the Modi government.”

He said: “They are scared of taking up issues such as unemployment, crime against tribals, Dalits and poor.” Jairam Ramesh also questioned why the CBI and the ED remained silent on Odisha affairs.

Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar also pointed out how the education system was destroyed under the Modi regime. “Only names of various schemes and programmes have been changed and repackaged to give it a new colour. In the last 45 years, the unemployment rate has reached an all-time high. Every day at least two youths commit suicide,” Kumar said.

However, the BJD maintained that Rahul’s visit would have no impact on the party.