As BJP eyes Odisha, BJD concentrates on clean sweep  

If a developed India is to be seen, then we will have also to see a developed Odisha. And to see a developed Odisha, we have to make it a BJD-free Odisha…

BJP National President JP Nadda’s these words are working like magic. Each word is working like nectar for the party workers in Odisha. In other words, it can be said the entire party is now brimming with enthusiasm. 

The roadmap put by Nadda before the state unit of the BJP has left the party workers charged. Meanwhile, brainstorming has started among the party leaders to put the mantras Nadda has given into use. The party will focus on strengthening its organization at booth, mandal, block and constituency levels. Then, the party will propagate the failures of the government. 

It has been learnt from the party sources that a ‘chintan baithak’ will soon be convened where the strategies would get approval. 

Regarding the strategies for the big game, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Jaynarayan Mishra on Saturday said, “We are preparing a charge sheet against the Odisha government. It will have all the wrongdoings of the government for which the state has been paying a heavy price.”

“In 2024, Odisha will be free from BJD,” said a confident Mishra. 

Reacting to Mishra’s statement, Government Chief Whip Prasant Muduli said, “They are working for their party and we are for ours. We are not in any race of making the state free from anything. We are trying to make Odisha ‘BJD maya’ (there will be BJD everywhere). 

Since 2019 general election, there had been a good relationship between the BJP and BJD. Neither did any of the Union leaders ever target the State government nor did the BJD ever target Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Union Home Minister Amit Shah. 

But in political circles, it is believed that Nadda’s recent tirade against the BJD may change the equation for the worst. 

However, political analysts are not convinced about the fight between the BJP and BJD in 2024 would be a fierce one. 

“The government is being targeted. The system is being targeted. But the leader is being spared,” said senior journalist Prasanna Mohanty, referring to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik being spared by the BJP leaders. 

“An ambiguity still exists. If the BJP fails to clear this, the doubts among the people will be there, which will make it difficult for the BJP to achieve the target it has set,” observed Mohanty. 

(Reported by Harihara Chand)