Poll Outcome In Odisha Will Surprise India: PM Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the poll outcome in Odisha will be a surprise for the country, as was the case in Tripura last year.

“Odisha Hindustan ko surprise kar dega. Is baar Odisha dusra Tripura ban jayega,” Modi said while interacting with people from across the country under the ‘Main Bhi Chowkidar’ programme.

The PM’s reaction came to a question from Pabitra Parida, a fisherman from Kendrapada who interacted with him through the video conferencing.

BJP scripted history in the tiny north eastern state of Tripura in the assembly elections last year when it ended years of Left rule and stormed to power.

In 2014, BJP had won just 10 assembly and one of the 21 Lok Sabha seats. Odisha will have simultaneous polls both for the State Assembly and Lok Sabha in four phases from April 11.

Modi’s comments assume significance as the saffron party has focused its attention on eastern states like Odisha and West Bengal for the ensuing elections. He is scheduled to hold two election rallies in the state in the coming week – April 2 and April 6.

Apart from Modi, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also expressed similar optimism about the party’s fortunes in states like Odisha.

“The Tripura experience is going to be repeated in Odisha, West Bengal and Kerala. With new chemistry, our vote share and seats will have exponential jump,” Jaitley said in a Twitter post.

“People want development, growth and a strong nation and not caste politics. India has shown it in 2014 elections and will re-establish it in 2019,” he added.