BJP is in an aggressive mood and would criticise the BJD in all possible ways. The good showing of the BJP in the rural polls has enthused its leadership both at the state and the national level. And hence the party is gearing up to maximize the advantage. Prime Minister and his party leaders would attack the BJD leaders to seize the advantage before the 2019 elections come knocking.
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s remarks about Odisha’s poverty at an election rally in Uttar Pradesh had raised a political storm in the state. While ruling BJD leaders have targeted the Prime Minister for being insensitive to a state, Congress has said that Modi has heaped insult on Odisha. The entire state BJP, though, has sprung to the Prime Minister’s defence.
Addressing a rally at Gonda in UP, Modi had said ”Whenever the issues of starvation, illiteracy and unemployment are discussed, Odisha is cited as an example.” This has raised the hackles of BJD and Congress leaders. It is significant that Modi, who had refrained from making any comments on Naveen Patnaik during his visits to the state, has started targeting his government after the BJP’s impressive showing in the rural polls.
This has not gone down well with the BJD whose spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb sought to remind the saffron party that it was a coalition partner with the BJD in the state for nine years. “We are yet to know who is telling the truth. During his visit to the state to take part in the Make in Odisha conclave, union finance minister, Aurn Jaitley had praised Odisha’s development. But the Prime minister is giving another picture,” he said.
Taking a dig at the Prime Minister, Deb said “if Modi thinks Odisha is poverty-stricken, why is he not coming out with a special package for the state.”
The ruling party leaders today also asserted that people have reposed their confidence in BJD in the rural polls and the BJP should stop crowing over its so-called “spectacular performance.”
It is the timing of Prime Minister’s remarks and the occasion that has raised eyebrows. He chose to make sch caustic comments in the wake of panchayat polls in which the BJD has failed to do expectedly well. The BJP is on the upswing. “Perhaps that is what has prompted Modi to make such comments which can be interpreted in various ways,” said a political observer.On the other hand BJP leaders said that there was truth in Prime Minister’s observation. “Is it not true that Odisha is one of the most poverty-stricken states of the country and that it is one of the most underdeveloped? This is a fact we all must admit,” said the leader.
However, one thing is clear that the BJP is in an aggressive mood and would criticise the BJD in all possible ways. The good showing of the BJP in the rural polls has enthused its leadership both at the state and the national level. And hence the party is gearing up to maximize the advantage. Not only has Prime Minister spoken about BJP’s panchayat poll success in Odisha even union urban development minister, Venkaiah Naidu had tweeted about it,.
And not most of the party leaders would attack the BJD leaders to seize the advantage before the 2019 elections come knocking. The BJD better be careful. March 1-15, 2017
