May 9th 2024.
Berhampur: On Thursday, the honorable Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, made a heartfelt appeal to the people of the state. He urged them to make wise choices in the upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections by not supporting dishonest and unethical candidates. The CM addressed three election rallies in Gopalpur, Aska, and Phulbani, all located under the Berhampur, Aska, and Kandhamal Lok Sabha seats. He took this opportunity to interact with the public and gather feedback on the various welfare initiatives of his government.
During these rallies, Patnaik, who is also the president of the regional party BJD, asked the crowd a question that was on everyone's mind - "Is Naveen Patnaik a good man?" The resounding response from the gathering was a loud "yes!" The CM then humbly requested the people to bless him and vote in favor of the conch symbol of BJD. He also made a powerful statement, urging the citizens to not vote for "thieves" and instead, support the candidates of the ruling party.
At the Gopalpur rally, Patnaik emphasized the importance of integrity in a candidate. Though he did not mention any names, it was evident that he was referring to BJP candidate Pradeep Panigrahi, who was previously expelled from the regional party. In his other two meetings, Patnaik criticized the opposition parties for spreading misinformation and putting up a facade of concern during elections.
The response from the public at these rallies was overwhelming, with many expressing their support for Patnaik. If re-elected in 2024, he would become the longest-serving chief minister in the country, a fact that was highlighted by a BJD leader. The CM was accompanied by bureaucrat-turned-politician V K Pandian, who also addressed the rallies and highlighted the various initiatives taken by the government for tribal welfare.
At the Phulbani rally, Pandian announced that the BJD had a success rate of 90% in the first phase of elections, covering four Lok Sabha seats and 28 assembly segments. He urged the people to make sure that the party's performance reached 100%. In the previous elections, the BJD had won three out of four Lok Sabha seats and secured victory in 20 out of 28 assembly segments.
Taking a dig at the BJP, Pandian pointed out that the party had failed to name a chief ministerial candidate for Odisha, while Naveen Patnaik has held the office for five consecutive terms. Responding to this, senior BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is also a Lok Sabha candidate from Sambalpur, stated that the BJD should announce its prime ministerial candidate before criticizing others. He also emphasized that the BJP is a party of workers, and any worker could be appointed as the chief minister.
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