New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Odisha in an effort to strengthen the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state. The visit holds significance as the regional party, Biju Janata Dal (BJD), led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, recently declared its full support to the Narendra Modi government in passing the Delhi services bill and also announced its intention to vote against the no-trust motion moved by the Opposition parties in Parliament.
The BJD’s public support to the Centre has sparked discussions and speculations about the friendly relation between the BJP and BJD at the national level. The BJP, in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, won eight out of 21 constituencies in Odisha, while the BJD secured 12 seats and Congress got one.
In preparation for the 2024 elections, the BJP is focused on increasing its Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Odisha. Union Ministers and senior BJP leaders are actively visiting parliamentary constituencies and strategizing to strengthen the party’s base in the state.
Since the break-up of the BJD-BJP coalition government in 2009, Naveen Patnaik has maintained an equal distance from both the BJP and Congress. However, the BJD has supported the Modi government on crucial issues in the past.
Speculations about early elections in Odisha have also arisen. During Shah’s visit, he is expected to share the stage with the Odisha Chief Minister, raising curiosity about possible political discussions between the two leaders.
Odisha BJP President Manmohan Samal praised Shah’s micro-management and micro-planning strategies, expressing eagerness to receive his direction and suggestions during the visit.
The BJP has declared its intention to contest all 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats against the BJD in the upcoming elections.
On the other hand, BJD MLA Susanta Singh asserted that the party is self-reliant and confident of winning with a thumping majority in both Lok Sabha and Assembly polls without forming any alliance.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Taraprasad Bahinipati criticized both the BJP and BJD, stating they are two sides of the same coin. He viewed Shah’s visit as a congratulatory gesture to the BJD for supporting the Modi government on two critical issues in Parliament.
