Amit Shah to visit western Odisha to preempt further setbacks

Bhubaneswar: Apparently shocked over and shaken by the crushing defeat of party in the Bijepur Assembly bypoll in western Odisha in the hands BJD, the BJP has decided to preempt any further such setbacks in the region.

The state unit has invited party president Amit Shah to address two massive public rallies in Bhawanipatna and Bolangir on Wednesday and Thursday.

Western Odisha, considered the strong base of the BJP in Odisha, has slipped into the hands of the BJD since 2009. The party which used to win over 30 of the 64 assembly seats in this region since 2000, has failed to win even double-digit number of seats in 2009 and 2014 seats polls. While it won six seats from the region in 2008, it currently has 8 of the total 10 legislators from the area.

Speaking on Mr Shah’s visit, BJP Legislature Party Leader in Odisha Legislative Assembly Kanak Vardhan Singhdeo said the party president was visiting the state as a part of his plan to cover all the 21 Lok Sabha seats before the 2019 polls.

“Amit Shaha ji has announced to cover all the 21 Lok Sabha seats before the 2019 polls are held. The present visit is a part of his plan of action,” said Mr Singhdeo.

The BJD on the other hand is planning to ensure that Mr Shah’s Odisha trips does not make noise in the media, allowing the saffron party to score some brownie points. Marking the Wednesday public meeting of the BJP chief, the regional party has planned a big joining ceremony at Berhampur in south Odisha where former Union minister and senior Congress leader Chandrasekhar Sahu and several others will join the party.