Dharmendra Pradhan camps in Odisha ahead of PM Modi’s Balasore Rally

The BJP camp in Odisha is geared up for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally at the coastal town Balasore on June 2, 2016. P&NG Minister Dharmendra Pradhan along with some senior leaders have visited the venue and inspected preparations ahead of the Prime minister’s visit.

Balasore rally is part of a series of meetings to be addressed by the Prime Minister on completion of the NDA government’s two years in office. Meanwhile, the state BJP leaders have recently named the rally as ‘Vikas Utsav’ since the party will try to convey the message to the people of the state regarding the success of various programs initiated by Modi government such as  Jan Dhan Yojana, Swachh Bharat Mission, Digital India,  skill india , LPG subsidy reforms, India-Bangladesh land boundary agreement  etc.

This would be the third visit of PM Modi to Odisha in less than five months. PM Modi had earlier addressed a farmers’ rally at Bargarh on February 21 and inaugurated the oil refinery project of Indian Oil Corporation Limited on February 7 this year. Earlier, the Prime Minister dedicated the modernised and expanded units of Rourkela Steel Plant to the nation on April 1, 2015.

However, His frequent visit to a state where the BJP has little presence has sparked wild speculation. The political pundits believe that the saffron party is eyeing to win 2019 polls in the state while Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is considered to be a presumptive Chief-ministerial Candidate.

Not surprisingly, Pradhan is in good book of PM Modi, BJP President Amit Shah and RSS for his enormous success in governance and undisputed organizational skill for his party. PM Modi has also publicly appreciated the achievement and working style of Petroleum Minister at various occasions including the famous ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme.

P& NG Ministry headed by Pradhan started a ‘Give It Up’ campaign to bring a reform on LPG subsidy across the country. It also prohibited LPG subsidy to customers who earn more than Rs. 10 lakh per annum. The amount saved was used to give over five lakh new LPG connections to those who still use firewoods or kerosene stoves for cooking.

Riding his position in team Modi, Pradhan also leaves no stone unturned to win the heart of the people in the state in best possible way and criticize the Naveen Govt whenever he finds some fault. More importantly, he has been visiting the state in every second week to chair official functions, inaugurate new programmes or attend someone’s private ceremony.

Though BJP has just 10 MLAs in a House of 147 members in Odisha, the repeated visits of BJP’s national leaders including PM Modi and the long presence of Pradhan in the state is certainly a strategy to acquire political power in Odisha under the leadership of Dharmendra Pradhan in 2019.