Top BJP leaders head to Naveen’s bastion as elections draw close
The BJP’s Lok Sabha candidates Dharmendra Pradhan and Rudnarayan Mani during a roadshow in Dhenkanal, Odisha.
about the possible visit of Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari next week.
According to State BJP sources, the back-to-back visits by the top BJP leadership are intended to keep people of Odisha hooked to speeches of the leaders. On April 28, Mr. Nadda and Mr. Modi spoke on the issue of Odia Asmita (Odia Pride) in a veiled attack on V.K. Pandian, close aide of Odisha Chief Minister. The issue of Odia Asmita has been reiterated in election campaigning by all other leaders, which appears to be well-crafted election strategy.
“The BJP has somehow identied the desire of change in Odisha after 24year-rule by a single party. As the sa«ron party is expected to get fewer seats in north India compared with2019 election, Odisha could be the ideal State for them to compensate some seats,” said Rabi Dash, senior journalist and political commentator.
“There has been fatigue in the leadership of the Biju Janata Dal. People are unable to nd established political faces beyond Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. With the number of meetings held by the Odisha Chief Minister during election campaigning coming down drastically this year, the BJP is out to change narratives by elding its top leadership,” said Mr. Dash.
Mr. Pradhan, who initially concentrated in the Sambalpur Lok Sabha constituency, as he is contesting a direct election after a gap of 15 years, is also moving out to other districts, addressing rallies and holding closed-door meetings with the local leadership.
Leaders from States such as Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Tripura, where voting has been completed in most of the seats, have been camping in Odisha to keep the BJP workers on their toes.