CM my friend: Congress leaders left red-faced

BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh came in for criticism from the Congress leaders in the State for describing Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik as a friend before embarking on his three-day visit to Orissa.“Naveen is a good friend. He snubs me and at the same time praises me,” Ramesh had said.He also did not forget that BJD workers had burnt his effigy branding him as anti-Orissa on the Vedanta and Posco issues.The issue was raised at a meeting with senior leaders of State Congress Jairam had at the Congress Bhavan here on Sunday. Former minister and senior leader Suresh Kumar Routray objected to such public expression of friendship with the Chief Minister which he said affects the party in the State.Ramesh, however, explained that personal friendship and political rivalry are altogether different things. “I will definitely fight Naveen and the BJD politically,” he is reported to have said. The Union Minister assured the Congress leaders that he would again visit the State during the last week of August to discuss the corruption issues against the State Government with the State Congress leaders.At a news conference, he declined any comment on the quality of work under MGNREGS and PMGSY in the State.How can I pass a judgment on the implementation of these schemes by spending just 48 hours in Orissa, he questioned.Ramesh said if there are any irregularities in the implementation of rural development schemes, he will take action.But only because Orissa is a non-Congress ruled state, he cannot speak against the State Government, he said.The Union Minister, however, denied that there was any discrimination against the State in providing funds. It is not the money, proper utilisation is the issue, he said.