Angry at losing power, Opposition hatching conspiracy against country: PM Modi in Odisha

The PM is on his third visit to Odisha since the BJP assumed power in the state in June. He accused the Opposition of trying to mislead the people. “Unke jhoot aur afwah ki dukan 75 saal se chal raha hai… Ab inhone is aviyan ko tez kardiya hai… (Their factory of falsehood and misinformation has been running for the last 75 years, and they have intensified it now),” said Modi.

Pointing to the BJP’s victory in the Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana, Modi said this has brought a sense of confidence among the people of the country. He appealed to BJP workers to remain alert and expose the alleged lies of the Opposition.

“The power-hungry have been lying to people for long. When their one lie does not work…they plot an even bigger lie. They have been doing the same thing to their workers as well,” he said.

He also said the way Opposition parties have been protesting has changed in recent years. “During my work as the CM and PM, I have seen different colours and ways of politics. I admit that ‘neetigat virdoh’ (ideological opposition) is normal in politics and common in a democracy. There could be differences of opinion about an issue. Political parties take their issues to the people and it is their right. Sometimes, they even stage protests, but there has been a great change,” he said, accusing today’s Opposition of “muzzling the ethos of the Constitution” and “disobeying the decency and dignity of democracy”.

The PM said his government at the Centre worked for Odisha’s development even when the BJP was out of power in the state.

PM Modi is set to visit the party office in the city to review the performance of the BJP government in Odisha, according to party officials. During the meeting, the party is also expected to chalk out a plan to strengthen its organisation.