With Lok Sabha and Assembly elections a few months away, the political situation in Odisha is hotting up with Prime Minister Narerndra Modi’s back-to-back visits to the State to inaugurate projects and address BJP rallies.
Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik had raised a series of issues and demanded financial autonomy for Odisha two days after Mr. Modi visited Bhubaneswar on December 24 to inaugurate projects and address a party rally.
Funds for SHGs
Mr. Patnaik is not taking any chances this time. When Mr. Modi will dedicate Indian Oil Corporation Limited’s Balasore-Haldia-Durgapur section of Paradip-Haldia-Durgapur LPG pipeline project on January 5 at Baripada, the Chief Minister will address a State-level meeting of the women self-help groups in Puri that day. At the function, Mr. Patnaik will launch distribution of ₹15,000 each to the newly formed SHGs in the State.
The BJP has been stated focusing on women issues of late by highlighting the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.
A senior BJD leader told journalists on Wednesday that Mr. Modi’s frequent visits to Odisha will not have any impact on the State’s political scene.
Further, Mr. Modi is scheduled to visit western Odisha town of Balangir on January 16, his third visit to the State in less than a month. The Prime Minister will address the BJP workers and public at a mega rally in the town. The BJD has not announced any programme to counter the saffron party’s Balangir rally so far.