"BJP lost confidence after losing 30 out of 30 Zila Parishad districts in Odisha," says VK Pandian
May 17, 2024
New Delhi [India], May 17 : Amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in the country, 5T Chairman and BJD leader VK Pandian launched a scathing attack against the Bharatiya Janata Party and said that they are making a lot of noise about forming government in Odisha as they have lost self-confidence after losing all Zila Parishad districts in Odisha
"During the 2019 general elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi predicted that Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Babu is getting farewell from the people of Odisha and BJP is forming government in Odisha. Within 2 hours CM Patnaik replied that we have two phases already over in Odisha and with these two phases alone BJD has got the majority and I would invite PM Modi for my swearing-in. When it was analysed later on, whatever Naveen Babu said was true," Pandian said.
He further stated that the BJP is making noise in Odisha to boost the morale of the party workers.
"This time also BJP is making a lot of noise about forming govt in Odisha. It is to boost the confidence of the cadre of BJP in Odisha and their leaders. They have lost their self-confidence after losing 30 out of 30 Zila Parishad districts..." said VK Pandian.
Slamming Union Home Minister Amit Shah, VK Pandian said, "They declared 120 seats in 2014 (Assembly elections), 90 seats in 2019 elections, and now they are not giving any numbers, they are just saying that they are forming government so that is the trajectory they follow..."
Taking a jibe at the BJP over not announcing their CM candidate for Odisha, he said, "I would only sincerely request that the people of Odisha wait to see their (BJP) CM face because the central leadership has said that they are going to give a young, dynamic, smart, good-looking, fast-working person as the CM face of Odisha...After these 4-5 aspirants for Chief Ministership in BJP have all lost their hope. They are not matching what they are saying..."
Notably, the assembly and Lok Sabha polls in Odisha have been held across four phases--from May 13 to June 1. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.
In the last assembly elections in 2019, the BJD won 112 out of 146 seats. BJP won 23 seats and Congress got nine seats.
