PM Narendra Modi in Odisha today, state BJP hopes for revival

“Two years ago the PM had promised many things. Tomorrow he will give an account of his achievements,” said Pradhan. This will be Modi’s fourth visit to Odisha in two years.

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With about 20 per cent vote share and 10 MLAs in the 147-member Odisha Assembly, the BJP is behind the BJD and the Congress. BJP leaders said the party is now aiming at a revival in its pockets of strength, such as Balasore.

Balasore elected a BJP MP for three terms between 1998 and 2004. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, BJP candidate for Balasore Pratap Sarangi came second while the party’s MLA candidate won in Remuna. In at least two other Assembly seats of Balasore, the BJP finished second.

“We hope to give the BJD a good contest in next year’s panchayat polls. That is why tomorrow’s meeting is important for us. If we do well in panchayat polls, it would lead to the party’s revival,” said Sarangi.

BJD leader Damodar Rout said he did not expect any BJP revival. “The party is too weak on the ground to get enthused by a single rally,” he said.

On the eve of the rally, Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said the Centre had accepted the Naveen Patnaik government’s demand for sending rice and wheat under National Food Security Act in the ratio 85:15.