Bless the good candidate, says Naveen

Berhampur: “Bless the good candidate, not the thief and unscrupulous candidate”, said Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik while addressing an election meeting at Kanisi under Gopalpur Assembly constituency on Thursday. The Chief Minister addressed the meeting at the same venue where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a BJP election rally on May 6.

Naveen described the candidates fielded by the Opposition parties as corrupt and crooks and urged the voters not to extend support to them in the ensuing Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. Vote for the conch symbol both in Lok Sabha and Assembly elections on May 13, he urged the voters.

Naveen sought the opinion of the people about the different welfare and development schemes being implemented by the State government and urged them to extend overwhelming support to the BJD in the twin elections.

Seeking support for his party candidates, Naveen said Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana, Mamata Yojana, LAccMI bus service, KALIA scheme, Mission Shakti programme for women and Madhubabu Pension Yojana have been implemented for the betterment of the people of the State. 5T Chairman and BJD star campaigner V K Pandian also addressed the public meeting in Gopalpur Assembly constituency. He said the BJD will win all the seats with a 90 per cent strike rate. “BJD will create a record in the first phase election in Odisha for four Lok Sabha and 28 Assembly seats. The BJD will win these seats with a 90 per cent strike rate”, Pandian said.

“Naveen Patnaik will take oath again on June 9. He will take the oath as CM for the 6th term on June 9, 2024 with the people’s blessings. The swearing-in ceremony will take place between 11.30 am and 1.30 pm”, Pandian had said earlier. This was in reply to Prime Minister Modi, who had said at the election rally at Kanisi on May 6, “June 4 is the expiry date of the BJD government. On June 4, BJP’s CM face will be announced. On June 10, the swearing-in ceremony of BJP’s CM will take place in Bhubaneswar”.

In his response, the Chief Minister had said, “BJP is daydreaming about forming a government in Odisha”.

Naveen also addressed election rallies at Aska in Ganjam district and at Phulbani in Kandhamal district to garner support for party candidates for the ensuing polls.

The Assembly and Lok Sabha elections will be held in Odisha in four phases from May 13 to June 1. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.