The no-confidence motion brought by the Opposition was defeated by a voice vote in the Assembly on Friday. After a marathon seven-hour debate, the Opposition did not press for a division. The BJP MLAs, who were putting pressure on the party to withdraw support to the Government over the killing of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati, supported the Government during the debate.

Members, like Pratap Chandra Sarangi, who were in the forefront demanding withdrawal of support, were most vociferous in their support to the Naveen Patnaik Government. However, all the BJP MLAs touched upon the subject and harped on how the Swami opposed conversion the district for nearly four decades.

He empowered the tribals when no government machinery could reach them 40 years back and saved them from conversion. The killing was a conspiracy, they said and demanded strong action against those who masterminded it.

Criticising the Congress for bringing the no-confidence motion in the House, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said it reflected ‘typical’ mindset of the party. When the coastal districts were devastated in the 1999 super-cyclone, the Congress leaders were in New Delhi squabbling among themselves over who would be the chief minister, he said.
Naveen said his Government has brought all-round development in the State during its eight-year rule as was evident from the growth rate, the increase in investment and netter fiscal management.

The benefit of all these have gone to the poor unlike a few families during the Congress period, he said. Leader of Oppositin J.B Patnaik hit back by describing Naveen as the most corrupt Chief Minister in the country. Debunking the Chief Minister’s claim that there has been rapid industrialization in the State during the last eight years, JB asked how many Oriya entrepreneurs Naveen has encouraged.

The benefit has gone to Posco, Vedant and Jindals, all outsiders, he said.
Stating that peace is yet to return to Kaandhamal. JB demanded a CBI probe into the killing of the Swami.

Raising the Kendrapara incident where a BJP activist was arrested for throwing a bome, the Deputy Leader of Congress Narsingh Mishra alleged that the BJP may have done this in Kandhamal to spread communal violence. ‘We area trying to repeat Gujarat in Orissa but here caste and creed do not work,’ he said.