Odisha BJP May Reveal Its CM Face Today, Tweets BJD Leader

Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) organisational secretary Pranab Prakash Das on Monday claimed that the saffron party will be announcing its chief minister (CM) candidate, coinciding with the first round polling in Odisha.

“I am happy to know that Odisha BJP has accepted the BJD demand. Today at 9 am in a joint press conference, the senior leaders of Odisha BJP are going to announce their chief ministerial candidate for the 2024 assembly elections,” he tweeted.

He added that the saffron party may pick a woman as its CM face.

Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his election rallies, announced that a BJP chief minister will take oath in Bhubaneswar on June 10, the BJD has been challenging the saffron party to declare its CM face.

BJD leader V K Pandian claimed that the BJP is unable to declare its CM candidate because it knows the day it does, it will not get even 10 per cent of the votes. “Some people are daydreaming that Naveen Babu will not become the chief minister again. But ask BJP who is the party’s chief ministerial candidate, they cannot given a reply.”

In a veiled attack at Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the BJD star campaigner further said a union minister is trying to be the chief minister for the last 10 years. “When his party does not have confidence on him, how can people of the state trust him?” he questioned.

Mocking BJP leaders on the announcement that the party will select chief minister on June 6 after results are out on June 4, he further asked whether it is the BJP high command or people of Odisha who decide the chief minister and added that the state will go back by 24 years if the saffron party comes to power.

Pandian also asserted that the BJD would win the polls with three-fourth majority and Naveen Patnaik will be sworn in on June 9 between 11.30 am to 1.30 pm.