May 3rd 2024.
The political climate in Sambalpur has taken a dramatic turn as the Biju Janata Dal, led by Naveen Patnaik, faces its first bout of public unrest. According to Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan of the BJP, a group of "outsiders" in the chief minister's office is attempting to seize control of the state. Pradhan, who is running for the Lok Sabha seat in Sambalpur, has dismissed rumors of any alliance between BJP and BJD.
In an interview with PTI, Pradhan expressed his concerns about the state's identity being threatened and emphasized that this election is a crucial one for preserving it. He believes that the BJD is being influenced by a group of bureaucrats and non-Oriya officers in the chief minister's office, who are taking advantage of Patnaik's shortcomings to gain control of the state. This, in Pradhan's opinion, is a dangerous trend that has caused public outrage.
He noted that this is the first time the ever-popular CM is facing such backlash from the people. Pradhan also mentioned that the upcoming election in 2024 will be a tough one for the BJD, as they will have to fight both the Assembly and general elections simultaneously. If his party wins, Patnaik will become the longest-serving chief minister in India, but Pradhan believes that his over two-decade rule has brought little development to the state.
"The lack of basic facilities has caused a significant number of people to migrate from the state, and the government has failed to address this issue," Pradhan stated. He also added that the BJD lacks vision, political will, and commitment to society, which has resulted in widespread anger among different sections of the population. Pradhan firmly believes that the people will teach the BJD a lesson in the upcoming elections.
When asked about the possibility of an alliance between BJP and BJD, Pradhan denied any such talks and stated that the BJP does not have any compulsions to form an alliance. He also believes that the upcoming election will be a real test of Patnaik's popularity and that the BJD will not be seen in the state even with binoculars.
As the BJP's candidate for Sambalpur, Pradhan filed his nomination on Thursday. He will be facing tough competition from Congress' Nagendra Pradhan and BJD's Pranab Prakash Das in this high-profile constituency. Nagendra Pradhan, who won the seat in the 2014 elections on a BJD ticket, will be challenging Dharmendra Pradhan, who is returning to the electoral fray after a gap of 15 years.
Talking about the opposition's allegations that BJP will change the Constitution if voted to power, Pradhan dismissed them as a desperate attempt by the Congress party. He believes that their existence is in danger and that they will resort to using deepfake videos and misusing AI to make such false claims. However, Pradhan is confident that the public is aware of their tactics and will not be swayed by them.
In conclusion, Pradhan expressed his confidence that the BJP will emerge victorious in the upcoming elections, and the Chief Minister of Odisha will be from his party. He stated that the decision on who will hold this position will be made by the party later on, but he is certain that it will be someone from the BJP. The people of Sambalpur and Odisha will have the final say in this crucial election, and Pradhan believes that they will make the right decision.
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