With the 2024 general election a few months away, the BJP seems to be in an attacking mood against the Odisha government. The suspected 'mood swing' of the BJP is signalled by the back-to-back sharp attacks by three Union Ministers in the last three days.
A day after Union Minister of State for Textiles, Darshana Jardosh accused the Odisha government of non-cooperation for a mega textile park, Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs and Jal Shakti, Bishweswar Tudu brought similar allegations against the state government on Thursday.
On November 28, Union Minister Sripad Nayak came down heavily on the government, accusing it of throwing a spanner in the development of the Pradip Port.
The attacks from the BJP leaders come one after another at a time when the results of Assembly elections in the five states are due.
Targeting the state government, the Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs and Jal Shakti alleged that the state government is not extending cooperation to the Centre for the development of tribals. “Till date, no proposal has been given by the state government for the development of tribals. Neither any minister nor any officials of the government held discussions with the Tribal Affairs Ministry about the welfare and development of the tribals,” he asserted.
Tudu further alleged that the state government is misleading people by changing the names of Central schemes to take credit.
However, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has strongly countered the attacks. Asserting that the state government is extending all possible cooperation to the centre, BJD MLA Sudhir Samal downplayed the issue and said that keeping in view the election-induced atmosphere and mood; the Central ministers are making all such statements.
Political observers are trying to read the signals behind the back-to-back sharp attacks from the BJP. Many are questioning if the BJP is changing its strategy in Odisha ahead of the election.
After Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s meeting with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik several weeks ago, speculation was rife about a possible change in the political equation between the BJP and the BJD.
Also Read: Odisha deprived of mega textiles park for lack of cooperation: Union Minister
Senior Journalist, Prasanna Mohanty said that it is natural on the part of the BJP as an opposition party to raise issues against the ruling BJD. "But the aggression that the BJP had shown in the 2019 election is not visible ahead of the 2024 election," he pointed out.
However, the sudden spurt of attacks from the Union Ministers has caused a stir in the state politics. The real mood of the BJP could be gauged or known after the results of the Assembly elections in the five states are declared on December 3, it is said.