Bhubaneswar, Feb. 13: The Aam Admi Party (AAP) today announced that it would field an honest candidate against BJD supremo and chief minister Naveen Patnaik in the coming elections.

Launching the party’s election campaign in the state, the party’s national executive member Yogendra Yadav urged the people to make everyone aware about the mega mining scam.

“The Justice M.B. Shah Commission has already made it clear that the mining scam in Odisha was to the tune of Rs 60,000 crore. The state has admitted it by issuing notices to the miners for raising excess minerals,” he said.

Stating that the money lost in the scam could have been utilised for the development of 55,000 villages, Yadav termed Naveen Patnaik as “Mauni Baba”.

“As there are nearly 55,000 villages in Odisha, it means the government has looted at least Rs 1 crore from each village by letting the mining mafia swallow the profits. None other than the chief minister is responsible for the scam. The people involved in the scam are being shielded,” he said.

Among others, AAP state convener Nishikant and farmer leader Lingaraj also spoke on the occasion. Former IAS officer-turned-journalist Prasanna Mishra and former IPS officer S.N. Swain were also present.