PHULBANI (Orissa): Promising alleviation of poverty among tribal communities within next five years, Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday dubbed both BJP and the Congress as hurdles before Orissa's progress.

Addressing a series of election meetings in communally sensitive Kandhamal district, the ruling BJD supremo said ratio of poverty had come down among tribals and dalits of Orissa during last five years.

"I am committed to the welfare of tribal and dalits in next five years also," Patnaik assured the gathering at Tumudibandha, K Nuagaon, Raikia and Phiringia which had witnessed large scale violence last year in the aftermath of the VHP leader Laxmananda Saraswati's killing.

Patnaik was the third prominent leader after BJP's Rajnath Singh and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who held meetings in Kandhamal before the April 16 polls.

While Rajnath Singh and Rahul Gandhi addressed one meeting each in Kandhamal, Patnaik attended at least four meetings.

The chief minister also reminded the people about the state government's special package for Kandhamal announced after the communal violence.

"The state government has launched several welfare scheme on its own resources without depending on the Centre which neglected the state," Patnaik said.

Referring to the recent communal violence which claimed at least 43 lives, burning of hundreds of houses and attack on churches, Patnaik alleged that the BJP was trying to create disturbance in the state.

"Therefore, we have severed ties with the BJP," Patnaik said in a bid to erase communal tag on his party made in the wake of the anti-Christian riot.