PM Modi to address two election rallies in Odisha on May 6

Bhubaneswar, May 1 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Odisha on May 6 to boost the BJP's poll campaign in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, to be held simultaneously in four phases from May 13 to June 1.

The Prime Minister will address two election rallies at the Berhampur and Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituencies during his visit.

Speaking to mediapersons here, senior state BJP leader Golak Mohapatra said, “PM Modi will visit Odisha on May 6 and address two public meetings. He will first address a public gathering in Berhampur at 10 a.m., before proceeding to Nabarangpur on the same day at around 12.30 p.m.”

The BJP has fielded Pradeep Kumar Panigrahy from Berhampur and Balabhadra Majhi from Nabarangpur, where polling will be held on May 13.

Mohapatra also said that several other big leaders of the BJP, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Ministers Smriti Irani and Rajnath Singh, among others, are scheduled to visit Odisha in the coming days for campaigning.

The BJP is worried over the massive corruption and poor implementation of various welfare schemes launched by the Modi government such as the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and Swachh Bharat Yojana in the state, he said.

Mohapatra also said that it is a matter of great concern for the party that the society as a whole, including its language, literature, culture, and pride, is under threat in Odisha.

The senior BJP leader said that even PM Modi had expressed his concerns over these issues.

“The pride of Odisha and Odia language is at stake. I don’t think Odia people will tolerate this for a long time. Odisha has so many resources that it could have become the richest state in the country today,” PM Modi said during a recent interview.