After the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) resounding victory in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, the state functionaries seem to have been charged up. State party president Manmohan Samal on Monday said a U-Turn in Odisha politics is seen to be coming.
While addressing a press conference, a visibly confident Samal said, “The poll results in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh will definitely have an impact on Odisha politics in the coming days. In the 2024 general elections, people will shun the government in Odisha. In Odisha, Modi’s popularity is highest. So, the 2024 big fight will be a one-sided one and the mandate will be in favour of the BJP.”
“The issues why people voted us to power in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan are also here in Odisha. There, the party fought the elections by making corruption and hijacking of central yojanas as main poll issues. These weapons will be used against the BJD government. While going to find a successor, the government is playing with the state’s pride, culture and sentiment,” he added.
On the other hand, the BJD and the Congress are confident that the poll results of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh will have hardly any impact in Odisha.
“The BJP and the BJD are siblings and are staying united. There is no reason to celebrate. Like what happened in Telangana where the Congress has risen to power by defeating a regional party will be repeated in Odisha,” said OPCC chief Sarat Pattanayak.
But, BJD leader and Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak took the side of his government and said, “No model is working in Odisha since 2000. Here, only Naveen model is working and will work in the coming days.”
While addressing the gathering at a party event in Kendrapara Assembly constituency, BJP National Vice President Baijayant Panda on Monday said, “It was said that Chhattisgarh was Congress’ bastion and no exit or opinion poll showed that BJP would win there. It was the only state where BJP’s defeat was said to be inevitable. BJP not only won Chhattisgarh, but with a huge margin.”
“Yesterday Chhattisgarh, next year its Odisha. Efforts are being made to create an atmosphere that the present government in Odisha is undefeatable and the government here is powerful with money, muscle power and officer power. But, nothing will work,” he added.
It has now been discussed in the political corridors that after registering a massive victory in Hindi heartland, the BJP may not have the same approach toward the BJD. The Lotus party may try to make the most out of the infighting in the BJD and the people’s anger against the Conch party.
“To win in Odisha, the BJP has to remove confusion and establish confidence at ground level. It is the need of the hour for the central leaders to give a clear-cut message to the people of Odisha,” said Prasanna Mohanty, a political analyst.