Naveen confident of record fifth term as CM
TNN | Jan 22, 2019, 22:15 ISTBhubaneswar: BJD president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday expressed confidence of coming back to power for a record fifth term in a row.
Amid speculation that the dates of the forthcoming general and assembly elections are likely to be announced in the first week of March, the BJD president said, “The Biju Janata Dal will do extremely well in the polls.”
Naveen’s statement, in response to queries from the media, comes at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held back-to-back political rallies in different parts of Odisha, clearly saying BJP intended to focus on the state. Modi addressed three rallies — at Khurda on December 24, Baripada on January 5 and Balangir on January 15 — and spoke of the Centre’s plans for the state and of its commitment to Odisha’s development.
BJD insiders said the party’s strategists had outlined its plan for the simultaneous polls. Having already announced sops for women self-help group members, the elderly, farmers and students — sections that account for a large chunk of the electorate — the chief minister has planned large-scale outreach programmes for these voters ahead of the election.
The ruling dispensation has planned mega shows of strength in all the three places visited by the Prime Minister. Political observers see this as a concerted attempt by BJD to counter BJP’s growth and strengthen its own base.
With around 70 lakh women self-help group members known to form the core support base of BJD, the ruling party has pulled out all stops to keep them happy. After announcing sops of over Rs 600 crore during an SHG convention in Puri, the chief minister is scheduled to attend two women’s conventions, at Baripada on January 30 and Rairangpur in tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district on February 3. The BJD has planned similar rallies in Kalahandi, Sundargarh and Ganjam districts though the dates are yet to be finalized.
After women, the chief minister will reach out to youths. The state sports and youth affairs department has planned six regional conventions — at Balangir, Sambalpur, Koraput, Kandhamal, Balasore and Bhubaneswar — to be held between January 24 and February 17 under the Biju Yuva Vahini programme.
The chief minister will attend the first such conclave at Balangir on January 24. It will focus on issues such as volunteerism, motivation, the social media and skill development. It will also highlight the state government’s welfare schemes for youths.
Naveen will also launch the distribution of assistance under the much-hyped Kalia (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation) at a rally planned in Puri on January 25.
Amid speculation that the dates of the forthcoming general and assembly elections are likely to be announced in the first week of March, the BJD president said, “The Biju Janata Dal will do extremely well in the polls.”
Naveen’s statement, in response to queries from the media, comes at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held back-to-back political rallies in different parts of Odisha, clearly saying BJP intended to focus on the state. Modi addressed three rallies — at Khurda on December 24, Baripada on January 5 and Balangir on January 15 — and spoke of the Centre’s plans for the state and of its commitment to Odisha’s development.
BJD insiders said the party’s strategists had outlined its plan for the simultaneous polls. Having already announced sops for women self-help group members, the elderly, farmers and students — sections that account for a large chunk of the electorate — the chief minister has planned large-scale outreach programmes for these voters ahead of the election.
The ruling dispensation has planned mega shows of strength in all the three places visited by the Prime Minister. Political observers see this as a concerted attempt by BJD to counter BJP’s growth and strengthen its own base.
With around 70 lakh women self-help group members known to form the core support base of BJD, the ruling party has pulled out all stops to keep them happy. After announcing sops of over Rs 600 crore during an SHG convention in Puri, the chief minister is scheduled to attend two women’s conventions, at Baripada on January 30 and Rairangpur in tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district on February 3. The BJD has planned similar rallies in Kalahandi, Sundargarh and Ganjam districts though the dates are yet to be finalized.
After women, the chief minister will reach out to youths. The state sports and youth affairs department has planned six regional conventions — at Balangir, Sambalpur, Koraput, Kandhamal, Balasore and Bhubaneswar — to be held between January 24 and February 17 under the Biju Yuva Vahini programme.
The chief minister will attend the first such conclave at Balangir on January 24. It will focus on issues such as volunteerism, motivation, the social media and skill development. It will also highlight the state government’s welfare schemes for youths.
Naveen will also launch the distribution of assistance under the much-hyped Kalia (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation) at a rally planned in Puri on January 25.
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