Dharmendra Pradhan urges people to vote for BJP in LS and Assembly polls in Odisha

During the campaign, the Union Minister urged the people to vote for Padma Phul (lotus, the BJP's symbol) for development in the state. Dharmendra Pradhan requested that people bless Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the third term, and support the formation of a double-engine government in Odisha.

Taking to his official X handle, the minister tweeted, "I joined the MLA candidate Sanjeev Kumar Sahu in the march and road show... A wave of change has been seen in Athmallick. Motherhood and youth support for the BJP are encouraging."

He added, "Request to vote twice on Padma Phul for Lok Sabha and Assembly seats on the 25th. Twice the Padma, twice the development, BJP will be the government in Odisha."

Earlier in the day, Dharmendra Pradhana took a swipe at the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), which has been holding the reins of the state for 24 years and accused the ruling party of depriving the people of basic amenities.

While addressing a public rally in Sambalpur, the Union Minister said, "Even after being in power for 24 years, they (BJD government) have failed to ensure piped water supply to scores of households across the state. The steps towards boosting irrigation of farmland, too, have been sorely lacking. There are not enough doctors at medical centres and the teachers, too, are sorely inadequate."

Pradhan also raised the issue of unemployment in the state, adding that a third of the state's educated and skilled youth are forced to head elsewhere, even abroad, in search of jobs.

He assured that the BJP's 'double-engine' government would work for the welfare of farmers while also promising better MSP support and proper irrigation facilities.

"If the BJP comes to power in the state, the MSP (minimum support price) on paddy will be raised to Rs 3100 per quintal in the interest of farmer welfare. We will also put an end to the exploitation of farmers in the name of harvesting. We will also work to ensure that all agricultural land is irrigated," the Union Minister added.

The assembly and Lok Sabha polls in the BJD-ruled state are being held across four phases--from May 13 to June 1, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 4.

In the last assembly elections in 2019, the BJD won 112 out of 146 seats, while the BJP had to settle for just 23 seats and the Congress finished at 9.

In the Lok Sabha elections in the same year, the BJD mopped up the lion's share of the electoral spoils, with the BJP and the Congress bringing up the rear. The BJD won 12 seats, the BJP finished a close second at 8, and the Congress bagged just a lone seat. (ANI)