The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be the number one party in Odisha, said Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday. “The party needs to be strengthened. The way we came to the second position, we will become the number 1 party in the same way. Everyone needs to wait,” he said while releasing the Odia edition of the book ‘Amit Shah and the BJP’s Journey’ in Bhubaneswar.
The BJP is gearing up to become Odisha’s top political party from the second position as the 2024 general election in the state is inching closer. The BJP has intensified its efforts to improve its performance in the state. Recently, the saffron party organized its national executive committee meeting in Hyderabad in which the senior party leaders chalked out a roadmap to add enthusiasm among the party workers. The party organized the two-day meeting to plan its southern expansion with a focus on the states with regional party-ruled governments.
“From a party securing 12-13 per cent of votes in Odisha, the BJP now gets votes in the range of 30 to 38 per cent because of PM Modi’s leadership,” Pradhan said.
Former state BJP president Manomahan Samal said the party is preparing for 2024 and the team plans to reorganize from the grassroots level. A roadmap has recently been drawn up by the state executive meeting. As the party prepares for the final, Pradhan’s remarks have further encouraged the state BJP, said Samal.
With less than two years to go before the general election, Pradhan’s remarks have fueled political controversy in Odisha. Both the BJP and Congress have criticized the remark.
Senior BJD leader and State Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain said the BJD government in the state has been led by CM Naveen Patnaik for 22 long years. People have a lot of confidence in CM Naveen and BJD in the State of Odisha. The party is working for the people in the state, said Swain.
Similarly, Congress legislative party leader Narasigha Mishra said the BJP is daydreaming. The people of Odisha know that the BJP and BJD are working as one party. Congress is with the people. “People who will be with the people will vote for them,” Narasigha said.
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