May 22nd 2024.
In Sambalpur, a lively road show was held by senior BJP leader and Union Minister, Giriraj Singh, to support his colleague Dharmendra Pradhan, who is running for the Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat. During the road show, Singh made some strong allegations against Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, claiming that he is being controlled by a select few individuals and that he is planning to appoint Kartik Pandian as the next CM.
Singh expressed his concerns about the state being under the grip of a mafia, stating, "He comes, speaks for two minutes, and then leaves. He has been kidnapped and is being held captive." He also pointed fingers at Patnaik's aide, Pandian, stating that the CM had previously declared that he would step down once he turned 75, but now at the age of 77, he is planning to hand over the reins to Pandian. Singh urged the people of Odisha to vote for the BJP in order to preserve their cultural identity and ensure that a native leader takes charge of the state.
Speaking to the media, Singh criticized the BJD government for lacking leadership. He stated, "Naveen babu only has Pandian and Bobby, while the BJP has numerous leaders campaigning for their candidates." He also slammed the government for halting Hanuman Jayanti celebrations in Sambalpur, questioning, "If we can't celebrate Hanuman Jayanti here, where should we go? Pakistan, Bangladesh, or Malaysia?" Singh promised that once the BJP government is established in Odisha, people will be able to celebrate their festivals without any fear.
The BJP leader also brought up the Ratna Bhandar issue, accusing the BJD government of mismanaging the affairs of Puri's Jagannath Temple. He praised Pradhan as a "Bikas Purush" (Man of Development) and confidently predicted that he would win the Sambalpur seat by a margin of over 1.5 lakh votes. Sambalpur is scheduled to vote on May 25, with Pradhan facing tough competition from BJD's Pranab Prakash Das and Congress' Nagendra Pradhan.
The BJD has not yet responded to Singh's statements. Meanwhile, popular actor Arun Govil, best known for his role as Ram in the Ramayan serial, joined the BJP's campaign and showed his support for the party's candidates in Champua and Telkoi in Keonjhar district. He also held a road show in Dhenkanal district, expressing his confidence in the BJP's performance in Odisha. Govil stated, "Everyone wants the country to progress, and there is no better alternative than the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi."
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also campaigned for the BJP in the Balasore Lok Sabha seat, supporting candidate Pratap Sarangi. Overall, campaigning took place in six Lok Sabha seats and 42 Assembly segments in Odisha, with voting scheduled for May 25. The people of Odisha have an important decision to make, and their votes will determine the future of their state.
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