Bhubaneswar: Following Union home minister Amit Shah’s Odisha rally, the battle lines between BJP and BJD has been drawn. A month ago, both the parties were in talks to forge an alliance for the elections, but after the talks were collapsed, both the parties are now preparing for a fierced poll battle.
There has been a long standing notion among the Odisha voters about the good relations between both the parties. The Congress party had also been alleging a secret alliance between BJP and BJD in the last several years. In the meantime the talks of alliance between them last month had increased confusing among the voters. After the collapse of the alliance talks also, many people believed that they might go for a post-poll alliance.
But, Amit shah’s fierced attack on BJD government has cleared the fogs on the alleged secret bonhomie between the two parties.
During his Sonepur rally Amit Shah had said that not only did Navin Babu’s government impede the development of Odisha, but, through its bureaucrats, it is also involved in corruption!”
Shah, asking people to give BJP a chance for five years to make Odisha India’s number one state. “You voted Naveen Patnaik-led BJD to power in the state for five terms, bring BJP to power once, we will make Odisha the number 1 state in the country. Odisha has most number of poor despite being a mineral-rich state. We will ensure the development of the state and the poor. I assure you that no one will have to migrate to other states in search of work,” he asserted while setting the stage for a high-voltage fight.
Shah further said that the BJP will win at least 20 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats here and significantly contribute to the party’s “400 paar” mission. “The party will also get majority in Vidhan Sabha and form government on its own,” he added.
A day earlier, Odisha CM and BJD Supremo Naveen Patnaik, at his Hinjili rally, had targeted opposition parties including BJP for their anti-development stance. Patnaik declared his commitment to propel Odisha into a “developed state” by 2036. Launching his campaign from his stronghold, Hinjili, where he seeks a sixth term, Patnaik asserted, “By 2036, coinciding with 100 years of its formation, Odisha will lead the nation.” He emphasized the BJD’s dedication to sustained progress through government initiatives and the support of the people.
Encouraging voters, Patnaik endorsed the ‘Jodi Sankha’ (double conch) symbol, aimed at countering the BJP’s ‘double-engine sarkar’ slogan and mitigating anti-incumbency sentiments against the ruling party in the upcoming elections starting May 13.