Congress workers take part in the party’s mass contact rally in Cuttack and chief minister Naveen Patnaik at a padyatra in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday. Pictures by Badrika Nath Das and Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 2: A Centre-state war is being played out on the streets of the twin cities.

While chief minister Naveen Patnaik today launched BJD’s Jana Samparka padyatra (mass contact rally) to highlight the Centre’s neglect of Odisha, the Congress hit the streets to expose the “scam-ridden” state government.

In his speech, Naveen harped on his pet theme of Centre bashing. After setting off on his padyatra from a slum, he said: “Though Odisha has been contributing huge resources to the national exchequer, the state is getting a raw deal from the Centre. Odisha has been a victim of political discrimination.” He also blamed the Centre for the economic crisis in the country.

“The BJD has been serving the people for the past 12 years and we will continue to serve the people and grow stronger with your blessings,” said Naveen, who reeled out the programmes undertaken by his government for the poor.

Residents of Kalinga bustee (slum), especially the women, were disappointed when Naveen skipped their slum. “We had been anxiously waiting for him to express our grievances. But, he did not come,” lamented Premalata Jena, president of the Kalinga Bustee Committee.

The slum houses around 200 families, who are mostly daily labourers, vendors, wall painters and salesman. The women assist them in meeting the daily needs by working as domestic help and making incense sticks and papad.

“Had we met him, we would have demanded rehabilitation,” said Kunjalata Pradhan, a 40-year-old widow and mother of two. Flanked by security men, who shielded him with an umbrella, Naveen walked down a lane before he drove to the meeting venue for launching the party’s mass contact programme.

“We are conducting this programme to have a first-hand knowledge of peoples’ problems and make them aware of our government’s achievements,” said Naveen.

The Congress, too, launched its eight-day campaign from the historic Swaraj Ashram, the nerve centre of the party during the freedom struggle, in Cuttack. The padyatra will culminate at Sakhigopal in Puri.

At its programme in Cuttack, the Congress highlighted “the misdeeds” of the state government, which had been “embroiled in scams”.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik, who launched the padyatra, said: “The UPA government had given plenty of funds to the state. But, the Naveen Patnaik government had failed to ensure proper utilisation. Odisha has been pushed down to the bottom of the list of states in poverty during his regime.”

In a show of unity, the principal Opposition party in the state ensured the attendance of top party leaders. Senior leaders, including Union minister of state for chemicals and fertilisers Srikant Jena and former chief minister Giridhar Gamang, spoke on the occasion.