Bhubaneswar: The war of words between top BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJD star campaigner and chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s Man Friday VK Pandian over the issue of missing keys of Puri Jagannath temple’s Ratna Bhandar ( treasure room) is escalating and heating up the campaign in Odisha.

Addressing rallies at Angul and Cuttack on May 20 following his roadshow in Puri the Prime Minister had launched a scathing attack on Pandian who joined the BJD a few months ago after taking voluntary retirement from IAS. Takin a dig at Pandian, who hails from Tamil Nadu, Modi said, “People are saying that the keys have gone to Tamil Nadu. Who has taken it? The people will not forgive this. I assure you the mystery of the “key” will be resolved. Those involved in cheating and fraud will not be spared. This is Modi’s guarantee.”

A day later Pandian hit back saying the Prime Minister Narendra Modi should find out the keys to the Ratna Bhandar of Shree Jagannath temple in Puri if he has any knowledge about it. “I would humbly request the honourable prime minister to find out the keys if he has some knowledge about it. He can enlighten the people of Odisha,” Pandian said while speaking to a prominent media organisation.

Often referred to as super chief minister by his critics Pandian, who served Naveen Patnaik for years as his private secretary, dismissed the Prime Minister’s remark as a political statement. “He is making a political statement. So, we will take it like that,” he said adding that the inner chamber of the Ratna Bhandar had not been opened in almost four decades. For nearly a decade, the BJP ministers handled the matter. “So perhaps they should find out where the keys are,” he said.

Pandian said an affidavit pertaining to the judicial inquiry report on missing Ratna Bhandar keys was submitted in the High Court. He said the HC ordered the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to open the Ratna Bhandar. Accordingly, it was decided that the temple treasury will be opened during Rath Yatra when devotees will not be present inside the shrine.

Stating that the SJTA headed by the Puri Gajapati has decided to open the Ratna Bhandar, Pandian said the state government’s role was confined to appointing a retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, which has been done. The committee has been appointed and the date has been fixed too, he said while inviting the Prime Minister to come and witness the opening of Ratna Bhandar after 40 years. He claimed the Ratna Bhandar issue is a ploy of the BJP to divert attention from core issues of unemployment, price rise and inflation which are likely to impact the elections most.

The issue of Ratna Bhandar’s missing keys was also raised by the Prime Minister at his other rallies where he targeted both chief minister and his chief aide VK Pandian who is practically leading the BJD’s campaign in these elections. Modi’s right hand man, union home minister Amit Shah has also targeted the state government on this issue. The BJD has retorted saying that BJP is trying to create a false narrative by resorting to rhetoric but people will see through its game.

As the campaign on the issue gets more acrimonious the chances of a possible rapprochement between BJP and BJD in the post-poll scenario seems to be receding fast. It may spoil their relations forever.