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Ahead of the crucial 2024 elections, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma believes that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has a strong base in Odisha.
The Assam Chief Minister made such remarks in an exclusive interview with OTV News Editor, Radha Madhab Mishra.
Clearing the air on speculations, the Assam Chief Minister categorically asserted that misinformation is being spread that BJD & BJP are one in Delhi.
“It is wrong as Odisha is BJP’s incomplete mission. To serve Odisha is a long-standing dream of the BJP and we want to achieve it,” said Sarma.
Double Standards!
According to Assam Chief Minister, the political management in Parliament is altogether a different scenario. A lot of parties supported the BJP on the issue of Article 370 abolition. Indirectly TMC did not vote during the Vice-President election. In Parliament, the issues are different, he said.
“It is BJD’s propaganda that in Delhi we (BJP) are together. We are one on some issues and different on other issues. The issue of (BJP) and BJD are not one and it can very well be gauged from the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not here for the inauguration of the Puri Srimandir Heritage Corridor project. If BJP-BJD were one, then people would have seen both CM Naveen Patnaik and Prime Minister Narendra Modi together during the inauguration of the project here,” said Sarma.
Fighting 2024 Polls Alone
“In Odisha, people support BJP more in Lok Sabha elections and less in Assembly polls. Our party leadership should review the matter and take steps accordingly,” said Sarma
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Hijack of Central Schemes By Odisha Government
On the alleged hijacking of Central schemes by the BJD-led Odisha government, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the bulk of the contribution comes from the Central government for the rice scheme.
“I think that BJD will not give credit as they are our (BJP’s) competitor. But our party workers need to reach out to the people and spread awareness that it is due to the Modi government that all these things are happening. All national schemes like railways and highway projects in Odisha are because of the immense contribution of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said Sarma.
SSG Vote Bank In Odisha
According to Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, there is a model in every state and the strength of 40 lakh women SHG members is with BJP in Assam. BJP does not politicise it as it is a campaign for women empowerment.
“Our Odisha leadership needs to come up with a good manifesto promising that they will do more good than what the BJD government is doing. There are good models in other BJP-ruled states than in Odisha. The Odisha government is not doing much like what is being done in BJP-ruled states for women SHGs. We need to highlight good models of women empowerment. We do not need to be defensive,” he added.
BJP’s Prospects In Odisha
BJP is not in Param-Vaibhav situation now. A lot of work is pending in South but a lot of work has been done in the Northeast. A lot of work needs to be done for the East. Be it Odisha or West Bengal, it is our roadmap to take BJP to Param-Vaibhav situation, said Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma.
There should be double-engine government in Odisha and West Bengal, he said.
On weak organisation in Odisha, Assam Chief Minister said that “BJP wins 8/9 MP seats in Odisha and loses with close margins in another 6/7 seats here in the state. If BJP is weak in Odisha then how it is winning 8-9 seats. We have a strong base but we need to come out of propaganda,” Sarma added.
