Bhubaneswar: Odisha is all set to witness high-voltage campaign for the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president J P Nadda are scheduled to reach Bhubaneswar on their visits to the state on Sunday.
This will be the BJP chief’s second visit to Odisha after the declaration of the election schedule, while Modi is scheduled to come to the state twice before the first phase of polling on May 13.
According to BJP sources, the Prime Minister will reach Bhubaneswar on Sunday evening on his two-day visit and make the night halt at Raj Bhavan. He would address election rallies at Berhampur and Nabarangpur on Monday. Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the PM’s visit.
During his next visit, Modi is also scheduled to lead a massive roadshow in Bhubaneswar on May 10. He will address a large public meeting at Balangir on May 11. The PM is expected to talk more about the protection of Odisha’s self-identity, language, and culture which are, according to BJP leaders, under threat now.
Prime Minister’s planned visit to Odisha ahead of the first phase of polls in the State on 13 will boost the morale of the BJP workers and have a big influence on voters. A change in government in Odisha is imminent, according to many.
Keeping in view the visit of the Prime Minister, the State police have tightened the security arrangements for him in the city. There will be tight security from the airport to the Raj Bhawan during evening hours as the PM will reach the airport at around 9.30 pm. SPG, CISF, and State police will be deployed for this purpose.
Similarly, Nadda is slated to reach Bhubaneswar this afternoon. He is scheduled to release the election manifesto of the Odisha unit of the BJP in Bhubaneswar around 3 pm today.
Besides releasing the manifesto, Nadda is likely to hold talks with party workers of Bhubaneswar regarding the party’s strategies for the ensuing Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.
BJP state vice president Golak Mohapatra said that the visits of the prime minister and Nadda will give a new direction to the party’s campaigning in the state and also pave way for a positive change in the elections.
BJP has already escalated its battle against BJD with the prime minister taking the lead with his recent ‘Odia Asmita’ remark in a TV interview. Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during their recent visit to the state had also attacked the Naveen Patnaik-led party asking voters to throw BJD government out to make Odisha number 1 in the country.
