Bhubaneswar: The Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) on Saturday announced to call for a state-wide strike for the cause of Mahanadi in the near future.

Besides the Congress, Mahanadi Bachao Andolona, an outfit working for the cause of the river, also announced to go for a state-wide hartal shortly to protest against Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh's comment that nobody could stop his state from using Mahanadi water.

The BJD also upped its ante on the issue and asked the BJP to come straight on the Mahanadi issue.

Addressing a news conference here, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Nirajan Patnaik said "Both the BJP-led NDA giovernment at the Centre and BJD government in Odisha are responsible for the Mahanadi imbroglio."

Patnaik said: "When the dispute is with the tribunal, the way the Chhattisgarh chief minister Singh spoke is unfortunate."

He said: "The state government has also failed to build barrage over Mahanadi to increase the storage capacity and enhance the state's irrigation potential. As many as 25 industries, who were keen to set up their units in Odisha, have left Odisha and settled in Chhattisgarh."

Reacting to Patnaik's statements, BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said: "It was during the UPA regime that the barrages were constructed in Chhattisgarh. What were the state Congress leaders were doing that time?"

BJD vice-president Debi Mishra was critical on the BJP's stand on the issue.

"They are adopting a double standards on the issue. Succumbing to public outcry on the issue, senior BJP leader and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan seemed to have made an U-turn on the issue."

Convener of Mahanadi Bachao Andolan Sudarsan Das said: "We have passed a resolution at the all-party meeting condemning the statement of Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh. We will go for a state-wide hartal on the issue."

All the major political parties excluding BJP attended the meet.

BJP spokesperson Pitamabar Acharya said: "The state leaders of our party have been always working for the cause of the state. The allegations made by the BJD that we have made an U-turn is wrong."