PM to address 2 rallies in state tomorrow

Bhubaneswar: PM Narendra Modi will begin his campaigning for the simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state on Monday, with political observers and the people keenly watching his tone and tenor.

Modi will arrive here on Sunday and hold a closed door meeting with the party’s senior members late in the evening.

He is scheduled to address two rallies in Berhampur and Nabarangpur on Monday. “The PM’s public address will set a new direction to Odisha politics,” said senior BJP leader Golak Mohapatra.

Prior to Modi’s arrival, BJP president J P Nadda will arrive here on Sunday afternoon. His agenda includes unveiling the BJP’s manifesto for the assembly election, which is expected to provide a comprehensive outline of the BJP’s plans and promises for the state.

BJP faces a formidable challenge in the state where Naveen Patnaik-led BJD has maintained a strong grip on power for over two decades. Failed coalition talks between BJP and BJD has added an extra layer of intrigue to the contest, with both parties now vying for supremacy in the state with 21 Lok Sabha seats.

In his last visit in March before the poll dates were announced, Modi had refrained from criticising chief minister Naveen Patnaik and had termed him a popular CM. However, in a recent interview to a TV channel, Modi had said Odisha’s ‘asmita’ (identity) is under threat, which the state BJP has made a major poll issue. With battle lines drawn, the PM may step up the attack on the Naveen dispensation this time.

PM Modi is also scheduled to hold election rallies on May 10 and 11 in Bhubaneswar and Balangir. He is scheduled to lead a roadshow in Bhubaneswar on May 10, BJP’s Bhubaneswar MP contestant Aparajita Sarangi said.

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