Lok Sabha Polls 2024: In slogan war, it is BJD's 'double conch' vs BJP's 'double lotus'

In 2019, Odisha was the only state where the voters chose two different parties in simultaneous polls. In the Lok Sabha, the BJP saw an increase of seats from one to eight seats. In the assembly elections, the BJD repeated its successful run with a two-thirds majority. But in the LS elections, the BJD lost eight seats.

On April 22 when BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik launched his campaign, he posted a video of himself with his party symbol -- two conches -- in his hand with the slogan, 'Jodi Shankha'. "This time vote for a double conch, one for MLA and one for MP," he said.This has become the election slogan for the party and the BJD is appealing to voters to avoid splitting their votes.

The BJP has also come up with a counter slogan: 'Duithara Padma. Duiguna Vikas' (Press two lotus buttons for 2X development). Stamped with a seal of Modi's Guarantee, the slogan is everywhere.


"We have a proven track record of fast track development and growth in states where we have our governments along with the Centre," Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan told ET. "The people now want an alternative and growth will take place with BJP having a government at the Centre as well as the state." On the ground, the voters are quite comfortable with split voting. "Till the time Naveen Patnaik is alive, the vote in the assembly election will go to him," Smruti Sagar Nayak (25), a hotel management graduate in Khorda, Bhubaneshwar, told ET.

"For the country, Modi is good, and we voted for BJP in 2019. This time too we will vote for Modi," he says.

Post 2019, BJD sided with the government on several issues. Some voters even mention this as their reason for split voting. "Even the BJD MP supports Modi in Parliament. It is better to vote for the BJP in the LS polls. Locally, Patnaik is good," Priyabrath Samal, a private sector employee in Sonepur town, told ET.