PM Modi, BJP Chief JP Nadda To Visit Odisha Today

Bhubaneswar: Odisha gears up for a spirited election campaign with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president J P Nadda set to visit Bhubaneswar today.

This marks the BJP chief’s second visit to the state post the election schedule announcement, while PM Modi is scheduled to visit twice before the first phase of polling on May 13.

Sources within the BJP reveal that the Prime Minister will arrive in Bhubaneswar on Sunday evening for a two-day visit, lodging at Raj Bhavan. On Monday, he will address election rallies in Berhampur and Nabarangpur. Stringent security measures have been put in place for his visit.

PM Modi’s visit also includes a massive roadshow in Bhubaneswar on May 10, followed by a public meeting in Balangir on May 11. The focus of his speeches is expected to revolve around safeguarding Odisha’s identity, language, and culture, which the BJP perceives as currently under threat.

Anticipating the Prime Minister’s visit, the State police have bolstered security arrangements, especially from the airport to the Raj Bhawan during evening hours when PM Modi is expected to arrive.

In tandem, Nadda is scheduled to release the election manifesto of the Odisha unit of the BJP in Bhubaneswar this afternoon. He will also engage with party workers to discuss strategies for the forthcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.

Golak Mohapatra, BJP state vice president, believes that the visits of the Prime Minister and Nadda will invigorate the party’s campaign and potentially influence the election outcome positively.

The BJP has intensified its campaign against BJD, with the Prime Minister emphasizing ‘Odia Asmita’ in a recent TV interview. Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during their recent visits, also criticized the Naveen Patnaik-led party, urging voters to dislodge the BJD government to elevate Odisha’s status nationally.