Tag: Odisha Assembly Election

The BJP claimed that the lungi the Chief Minister was seen wearing in a video while making a vote appeal was not an original Sambalpuri lungi.

On Sunday, while BJP National President JP Nadda is scheduled to visit Odisha, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will kick-start Congress’ campaign from Salepur.

It has now come to the fore that none other than the Odisha government's own minister Tukuni Sahu may have been the impediment to the Padampur subdivision in Bargarh district getting district status.

Filing nomination papers has concluded for 28 Assembly segments under four Lok Sabha constituencies of Odisha where the polling is going to take place on May 13.

BJP leader Samir Mohanty alleged that the Chief Minister will leave a seat for him who has been placed second in the party’s star campaigners’ list and who travelled across the state and held meetings in the past.

At a closed-door meeting with senior leaders on Thursday, Shah asked the leaders to campaign together both for the Lok Sabha and Assembly seats which seems to be a new strategy for the saffron brigade.

BJP leader Mohan Majhi said, "The Home Minister has advised all party leaders to work with confidence. He said if the party could win polls in states with 2 to 6 per cent of votes, there would be no hurdles in Odisha, where it got 34 per cent votes in 2019."

Sounding confident about the party's poll success, Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal said, "This meeting will make an impact on 4.5 crore people in Odisha. It will give impetus to the people and party workers. In Bolangir, seven Assembly seats will be won by the BJP.” 

Opposing their own nominees and challenging the decision of the top leaders, some leaders have even filed nominations as independents for the Lok Sabha seat and Assembly seats such as Gunupur, Bissam Cuttack and Jeypore.

“On what basis VK Pandian is being provided Z category security? Why Pandian is so scared of people? He is neither an MLA nor an MP or in any constitutional post. He is just a member of the Biju Janata Dal(BJD),” the BJP asked.

Sofia Firdous was present in the meeting amid speculations that she may be picked as the Congress candidate for the seat, as Moquim may not contest the election due to the ORHDC loan scam case. He could not get a stay on the Orissa High Court order pertaining to the case.

The district administration organised an awareness drive in Baliguda of Kandhamal district for voters. A fashion show was organised as a part of the drive during which the sub-collector along with other participants walked the ramp.

BJP president of Sonepur district, Parmod Mohapatra said, "Thousands of party workers from Sonepur, Boudh and Bolangir will come to the public meeting.”

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's sudden sartorial leaning towards the lungi, that too before the elections, triggered reactions from BJP leaders on social media, who questioned the motive citing Odia culture, pride and tradition. 

The BJP stalwart said, "The people have enthusiasm for the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Such huge support indicates that they want to see Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister for the third time. They want a double-engine government in Odisha.”