BJP Leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan Begins Odisha Visit With ‘Outsourced Govt, Branding’ Jibe

Bhubaneswar: BJP leader and former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched scathing attack on the Odisha government after arriving in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.

“Corruption and atrocities have crossed all limits here and women are unsafe. In Odisha, CM Naveen Patnaik is not running the government. He has outsourced the state administration. His officers are running the government. Uncontrolled officers have entrapped the entire Odisha in the swamp of corruption,” he told mediapersons.

He also alleged that central schemes are being rebranded in the state. “Funds being sent by PM Narendra Modi to Odisha are not being implemented properly. Naveen Babu is rebranding the central schemes. People are aware of it,” he said.

He asserted that 86% people in Odisha like PM Modi and BJP will win a clear majority in 2024 elections and form government in Odisha. “Both elections – Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha – are scheduled to be held at the same time in Odisha. We secured 8 seats in the last Lok Sabha elections (in Odisha)…I think we will win Lok Sabha elections with a great majority and BJP will get a majority in Assembly elections too and form the government.”

The BJP has set a target to capture a 51% vote share in the 2024 general election.

Chouhan is scheduled to review the preparations for Cuttack and Jagatsinghpur Parliamentary segments. “I will attend the samelan of booth workers in Jagatsinghpur. After returning to Cuttack, there will be meeting of Lok Sabha steering committee to prepare strategies for the upcoming elections. I will also plant a sapling, have meal at a party worker’s place and strike conversations with people on the way,” he added.

The saffron party seems to be gradually activating its election machinery in Odisha with pre-poll surveys predicting its “better performances” in in the forthcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in the state. Apart from Chouhan, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will also be visiting Odisha on February 15. He is scheduled to visit Puri Jagannath temple for darshan and review the preparations of the party in the same Parliamentary constituency. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit has been scheduled on February 22 while BJP national president JP Nadda is likely yo visit the state towards the end of February.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sounded the poll bugle on February 3 already held a massive programme of the party in Sambalpur.

On Monday, BJP’s election in-charge for Odisha, Vijaypal Singh Tomar, claimed that the party will win 16 Lok Sabha and more than 80 Assembly seats in the forthcoming elections and form the double-engine government in the state.

In January, senior BJP leader Jaynarayan Mishra had said that 21 national leaders of the party will campaign in the 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha ahead of the elections. He added that the party is focussing on strengthening its base at the booth level and assembly constituency-specific strategies are being formulated to defeat the ruling BJD.