Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public meeting in Berhampur, Odisha on Monday, May 6, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
Berhampur/Nabarangpur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called himself 'son of Lord Jagannath' and asserted that the expiry date of the BJD government in Odisha is June 4, the day the assembly election results will be announced.
Addressing his first election rally in the state, Modi said, “Odisha mein BJD ast hain, Congress past hai aur log BJP per ashwasth hai. Sirf BJP ummido ka naya suraj ban kar ubhri hain (In Odisha, the BJD is setting sun, the Congress is battered and people are only sure of BJP. The BJP has emerged as the only ray of hope for the people).'
He also urged the people to give a chance to BJP in order to make Odisha the number one state in the country. In an apparent dig at BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the prime minister said, 'Odisha needs a CM who understands Odia language and culture. The BJP will form a double-engine government here after the ongoing elections. The expiry date of the BJD government is June 4, 2024," Modi said at the Berhampur rally.
Addressing another rally in Nabarangpur, the tribal heartland of Odisha, the prime minister claimed that his government has been working for the welfare of indigenous people.
"You have seen the track record of ten years of Modi's leadership. Modi increased the budget for tribal welfare by five times than the earlier allocation,” the PM said at the Nabarangpur rally.
Referring to the cash seizure in Jharkhand, the prime minister also claimed, "Modi is being criticised for stopping corruption and loot". Notably, the Enforcement Directorate on Monday claimed to have recovered a huge amount of 'unaccounted' cash during a search at the premises of a domestic help allegedly linked to the secretary of Jharkhand minister Alamgir Alam.
Modi said that his government at the Centre has set up 400 plus Eklavya Model Residential schools in tribal areas.
"People belonging to ST, SC and OBC categories comprise seven per cent of his ministry," he said. PM Modi also claimed that Odisha has not benefitted from the Ayushman Bharat Yojana as the BJD government did not implement it in the state.
"The Centre gave Rs 10,000 crore under the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme to Odisha but the BJD dispensation did not spend the money properly", he said, adding that Paddy farmers in Chhattisgarh get MSP of Rs 3,100 per quintal, but those in Odisha receive Rs 2,100.
He also accused the BJD government of "not allowing schemes made by Modi to be implemented in Odisha".
The prime minister further said that the people of Odisha have strength and passion, but the BJD did not give them the right opportunities. "You have given 50 years to Congress and 25 years to BJD. Just give five years to the BJP. We will make Odisha the number one state in the country," Modi said at the rally.
He also said, 'We released a visionary manifesto for Odisha promising jobs for youths and women and health facilities for senior citizens. BJP fulfils what it says."
The assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Odisha will be held simultaneously.
"I have come here to invite you to the swearing-in ceremony of BJP's CM on June 10. On that day, we will implement the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, which the Naveen Patnaik government has been resisting. This son of Lord Jagannath will take care of all senior citizens under this scheme," Modi said.
Responding to Modi's claim, senior BJD leader and Naveen Patnaik's close aide VK Pandian said, "Patnaik would take oath as the chief minister of Odisha for the sixth consecutive time between 11:30 am to 1:30 pm on June 9."
PM Modi, however, said Odisha would get 'new energy and new leadership after the assembly elections'.
"A person, who lives, understands and takes pride in Odia culture and tradition, can help resolve the problems of Odisha at a faster pace...," the PM said. It is alleged that BJD chief Naveen Patnaik does not have command over the Odia language.
Odisha has fertile land, mineral resources, and sea coasts, but people are still poor, Modi claimed. The prime minister also said Odisha lags behind in every development parameter despite having huge resources like mineral wealth, and a vast coastline. "Who is responsible for Odisha’s backwardness? Why are the people of resource-rich Odisha still poor? The answer is rampant loot by Congress, which ruled the state for 50 years, and then the BJD for the next 25 years," he said.
The prime minister also said that the BJP has given the country's highest post to a daughter of Odisha. "It is my good fortune that President Droupadi Murmu Ji always tells me about the development of Odisha. I feel that I will be able to do a lot for the state under her guidance," he added.