BJP will become No. 1 in Odisha: Dharmendra Pradhan
ONI Bureau: “BJP became No. 2 in Odisha in the Zilla Parishad polls held a year ago. And, we will become No. 1 in the next general elections, as people would repose their trust on PM Narendra Modi,” said Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan while participating at the ‘Round Table’ organised by Business Standard in Bhubaneswar.
“People of Odisha have made up their mind for a change. PM Modi is the most acceptable leader when it comes to development. While we are trying to achieve our goal of becoming No. 1 in Odisha through mass movement, people’s trust in Modi Ji will help us further,” he claimed.
“Odisha has rich mineral resources. The state has the capacity to have a big impact on the world in the areas of Aluminium, Iron and Power. Odisha can be a hub of economic activities of the global economy which has a population of 70 crore in the world of 700 crore population”, he said.
“If the Nalco, Vedanta and Aditya Alumina from Odisha decide to control the aluminium sector of the world, it won’t be an impossible task. And, once that happens, Odisha will make its presence felt on the global arena,” he added.
Dharmendra Pradhan hailed Odia youth and entrepreneurs, saying our people may not be multi-billionaires, but they lead the major industries and commercial establishments across the globe. “So, there is a need to motivate them to change the scenario and be the masters of their own,” he said.
On the issue of Mahanadi, Dharmendra disapproved the tribunal idea, saying no tribunals in the past have been able to resolve the water dispute between states. He supported Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s call for a dialogue between Odisha and Chhattisgarh to resolve the dispute.
Dharmendra took a dig at the BJD Government in Odisha, saying they behave like a Gramophone record by repeating the issue of ‘central neglect’. Modi Government has been doing enough for Odisha whether its railway projects or any other welfare schemes, he added while giving a list of development initiatives for the state, including NHAI, PM Ujjwala Yojana etc.