The demand for Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's resignation intensified on Wednesday amid burning of his effigies and holding of demonstrations after the Orissa High Court yesterday declared illegal the land acquisition procedures followed for the Rs 15,000 crore Vedanta University project.

A large number of activists of BJP's youth wing staged a demonstration near the busy Master Canteen square shouting slogans against the BJD government in the state accusing it of violating all laws and rules to extend undue favour to the Vedanta group.

The demonstrators burnt an effigy of the Chief Minister asking him to tender his resignation forthwith as the High Court verdict that quashed the entire land acquisition process for the proposed university was a blow to illegal actions of his government.

Since all decisions pertaining to the university proposed to be set up along Konark-Puri Marine Drive was taken at the Chief Minister's Office, Patnaik must quit, the protesters carrying banners and placards said.

"After working against the interest of Orissa and its people to favour Vedanta, Naveen Patnaik should step down immediately. He has lost all moral right to continue in office," senior BJP leader B B Harichandan said.

Congress, which sought the Chief Minister's resignation minutes after the High Court verdict, also staged a demonstration in Berhampur to press for its demand.

The Congress workers set afire Naveen Patnaik's effigy accusing him of functioning as an agent of multinational companies and corporate giants.

Ganjam district president of Congress, Bhagaban Gantayat said party workers would campaign against the ruling BJD.

Senior Congress leaders, including leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh, said their party would raise the Vedanta issue during the winter session of the state assembly beginning on November 23.

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