Indus Valley Times

By Nalini Sahu

Bhubaneswar, May 7 :  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asserted that Odisha will have its first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government after the poll results are out on June 4 and a new chief minister will be sworn-in on June 10.

Launching his first poll rally in the state at Berhampur in Ganjam district, the Prime Minister said, “June 4, 2024 is the expiry date of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government and the name of the new chief minister will be announced on June 6.”

“Please write it down.  The BJD government headed by Naveen Patnaik will fall on June 4 and the name of the new CM will be announced on June 6. I have come to invite you all to the oath-taking ceremony of the new CM which will take place on June 10,” Modi told the cheering crowd.

Though the BJP has not named any CM’s candidate for Odisha, the PM said a “genuine” Odia having immense love for language of the land; culture and heritage will be installed on the top post to serve the people.

Modi blamed the Naveen Patnaik government and the previous Congress administration for the state’s laggardness.

“Odisha has abundant water resources, mineral reserves and long coastlines. However, the state is lagging behind in all parameters of progress largely because of the 50 years of Congress’ misrule and poor performance of the BJD government over the past 24 years. One wonders why Odisha which is bestowed with so much of natural worth is suffering from backwardness and people are migrating to other states in search of livelihoods,” observed the PM.

He questioned the BJD government’s ability to spend central funds.

“We provided Rs 10,000 crore under the Jal Jeevan Mission to the state. However, the BJD government failed to spend it,” he alleged.

He accused the BJD government of rebranding the Central government welfare measures, including the free ration scheme, by putting its own stickers on them.

Reflecting on the BJP’s Odisha manifesto, he said it was one of the best such documents. Outlining the Subhadra Yojana promised in the manifesto, Modi said every woman in Odisha will get a cash voucher of Rs 50,000 she can encash in two years.

In a bid to portray the BJD leaders and workers as corrupt, Modi said every ordinary BJD worker now has a “bungalow.”

“The Centre is providing money for building roads, bridges and other infrastructures. However, the BJD people are looting them. This is beimani (betrayal) ,” he said.

Modi condemned the Naveen Patnaik government for not implementing the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat Yojana in Odisha and not giving Rs 6,000 assistance meant for pregnant women.

“Hamari sarkar har garbhavati mahilaon ko Rs 6,000 rupaya deti  hai, lekin BJD sarkar ne hamari uss yojana par bhi taala lagaa rakha hai. (Our government is providing Rs 6,000 financial assistance to each pregnant woman. Unfortunately,  the BJD government is not implementing it,” said the PM.