Naveen Patnaik 'hand-in-glove' with Sonia Gandhi: BJP

BHUBANESWAR: Seeking resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over the coal allocation issue, BJP today alleged that the BJD president and AICC chief Sonia Gandhi were hand-in-glove.

"Naveen Patnaik and Sonia Gandhi are old friends. They are hand-in-glove. Therefore, both avoid pointing fingers at each other. They claim to be opponents in public," Odisha BJP president Jual Oram told a protest meeting near Raj Bhavan.

Holding both the state government and the Centre responsible for irregularity in coal block allocations, BJP leader B B Harichandan demanded the Chief Minister's resignation for favouring a private company for allocation of a specific coal block.

"The person who recommended allocation of coal blocks to private companies is equally responsible for the scam," said Harichandan.

Reacting to BJP's allegation, BJD leader and agriculture minister Debi Prasad Mishra said, "Ask your (BJP) central leader Dharmendra Pradhan who publicly appreciated the Chief Minister's recommendation of coal blocks for certain companies who set up power plants in the state."