Simultaneous polls saved Orissa Rs 100 crore: Patnaik

Orissa CM Naveen Patnaik has said his Govt's decision to recommend dissolution of the state Assembly for holding simultaneous polls along with the LS polls had saved the state an expenditure of Rs. 100 crore.

Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said his government's decision to recommend dissolution of the state Assembly for holding simultaneous elections along with the Lok Sabha polls had saved the state an expenditure of Rs. 100 crore.

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+Even one rupee is too valuable for the state at this juncture. By going for simultaneous polls we have saved Rs.100 crore from the state exchequer+, Patnaik told an election meeting at Bandhadiha under Dharmasala Assembly constituency in Jajpur district.

Urging the voters to judge whether his decision was correct or not, the Chief Minister said he preferred to seek a fresh mandate a year before completion of his tenure unlike Congress, who, he said, clung to power till the last moment.

+Congress is aware that once they are out of power, it will be difficult to regain it+, Patnaik said.

However, he said, he did not want to cause loss to the state exchequer by holding on to the chair.