Amit Shah In Bhubaneswar; To Share Stage With Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik Today

Bhubaneswar: A day after arriving in Bhubaneswar, Union Home Minister and BJP stalwart Amit Shah is slated to share dais with Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik at some programmes here on Saturday.

Shah, who arrived in Bhubaneswar late on Friday,  was received at the airport by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national vice president Baijayant Panda, state president Manmohan Samal and Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi, among others.

The BJP leader’s visit has heated political climate in Odisha as it comes after Biju Janta Dal (BJD) extended support to the BJP-led government at the Centre on the Delhi Services Bill, which was passed in the Lok Sabha by virtue of a voice vote.

The Home Minister is scheduled to launch some national highway projects on Saturday. He is also scheduled to chair a meeting on Left Wing Extremism (LWE) and disaster management during the  day. These events will be held at the Convention centre of Lok Seva Bhavan, the state secretariat

The meeting is also slated to be attended by Chief Minister.  However, there is no official word on whether the Home Minister will hold a separate one-to-one meeting with the Odisha CM.

Thereafter, Shah will move to the state BJP headquarters in Bhubaneswar. He will meet the newly appointed state office bearers of the party and discuss the completion of tasks assigned to them earlier.

The BJP stalwart will also address the leaders on ways to take the achievements of Modi-government in nine years of governance at the Centre to the people.

Officials further stated that the Home minister will hold a meeting at the airport lounge before departing for New Delhi on Saturday evening. However, there was no information on who would attend the meeting at the airport lounge.

The Union minister’s visit to the BJD-ruled state and scheduled meetings to discuss LWE and disaster management is significant as it comes on the heels of the ruling party in Odisha supporting the Centre to ensure passage of the Delhi Services Bill in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. BJD has also announced that it will oppose the no-confidence motion by several opposition parties against the Narendra Modi government.