Bhubaneswar, Oct. 18 -- Bhubaneswar: Senior Congress leader Sura Routray came down hard on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here on Sunday over the timing of his Puri visit alleging that it was meant for gaining political mileage ahead of the ensuing by-elections in Tirtol and Balasore Sadar.

"The Chief Minister was confined to his room for the last seven to eight months since the outbreak of Covid-19 and was totally dependent upon the bureaucrats, which has hampered the development work in the state seriously," alleged Sura.

"Now, with just few days before the by-elections, Naveen came out of his seclusion and visited lord Jagannath temple only to gain political mileage," he said, adding that the people of Odisha know about the real inten...