Battleground Odisha: Modi, Shah, Patnaik, Rahul ready for attack

With Odisha facing simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls, top leaders of all major political parties are making a beeline for the state. In the fourth phase, polling for four LS and 28 assembly seats of the state was completed. The remaining 17 seats and 119 assembly seats are scheduled to vote over the next three phases.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already held five election rallies and a roadshow in Bhubaneswar. He has taken Navin Patnaik's challenge head-on during his speeches. Modi will visit the state on May 20. During the trip, he would address two public meetings in Angul and Cuttack. He will also hold a roadshow in Puri, supporting BJP candidate Sambit Patra.

Before Modi's trip, Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda will campaign in Odisha. Taking a cue from the PM's speech, Shah has been launching a direct attack on Navin Patnaik. Addressing a rally in Aska LS constituency on Wednesday, Shah accused Patnaik of pasting his own pictures on rice bags sent by the Centre and distributing it in his own name. Shah addressed this rally in Hinjili, the assembly constituency from where CM Patnaik is contesting.


In the evening, Shah attended a roadshow in Cuttack supporting BJP candidate Bhartruhari Mahtab.

Patnaik is contesting from two assembly seats, Hinjili and Kantabanji. While Shah addressed a rally in Hinjili, JP Nadda is all set to address a public meeting in Kantabanji on May 17.

BJD leader Navin Patnaik has completed his campaign schedule in Western Odisha and will now head for other regions. On Thursday, Patnaik will hold a roadshow in Bhubaneswar to support BJD candidate Manmath Routray.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi did not campaign for the four LS seats which went to polls in the fourth phase. However, they are now back in action in Odisha. On Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi addressed a public meeting in Balangir. On Thursday, Kharge will address a public meeting in Kandhamal.