Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan espoused “Modi Vichar” as the ideology on which the next election will be fought in Odisha. “It is not mere replacing one set of ministers or MLAs with another, a government based on Modi Vichar is to be installed for progress and prosperity of Odisha,” he said.

Perhaps conscious of the fact that people in Odisha do not relate to Deen Dayal Upadhyay or Sarvarkar, Pradhan spoke of “Modi Vichar” rather than BJP vichar in order to connect with the people on development issues.

Pradhan was addressing a gathering organised in Bhadrak on Sunday to induct former Congress minister Padmalochan Panda and his supporters to the BJP fold.

ଲମ୍ବା ସମୟ ଧରି ଚାଲୁଥିବା ନବୀନ ପଟ୍ଟନାୟକଙ୍କ ସରକାର ରାଜ୍ୟର ସମ୍ପଦକୁ ବ୍ୟବହାର କରି ଯୁବ ପୀଢୀକୁ ରୋଜଗାର ସୁଯୋଗ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରି ବିକାଶର ରାସ୍ତା ଖୋଲିବା ବଦଳରେ ରାଜ୍ୟର ସମ୍ପଦକୁ ଲୁଟ କରି ଚାଲିଛନ୍ତି । pic.twitter.com/RCvhYKzfVp

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) October 21, 2018

The Union minister’s reference to Modi Vichar prompted BJD and Congress leaders in the state to remark that BJP had become a “one-man party” now.

Pradhan came down heavily on the BJD government and its “19 years of misrule” in the state.

“Women in the state are not feeling safe, youths are not getting jobs, farmers are in distress and tribals remain neglected,” he said.

ସିମୁଳିଆ ନିର୍ବାଚନ ମଣ୍ଡଳୀ କଂଗ୍ରେସର ବରିଷ୍ଠ ନେତା ତଥା ପୂର୍ବତନ ମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ପଦ୍ମଲୋଚନ ପଣ୍ଡା ଏବଂ ଶୁଭଙ୍କର ମହାପାତ୍ରଙ୍କୁ  ତାଙ୍କ ସମର୍ଥକଙ୍କ ସହ ଦଳରେ ସ୍ୱାଗତ  କଲି। ପ୍ରଧାନମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ନରେନ୍ଦ୍ର ମୋଦି ଓ ଅମିତ ଶାହାଙ୍କ ନେତୃତ୍ୱକୁ ସ୍ୱୀକାର କରି ଦଳରେ ମିଶିଛନ୍ତି। ଏମାନଙ୍କ ଯୋଗଦାନ ରାଜ୍ୟ ବିଜେପିକୁ ଆହୁରି ମଜବୁତ୍ କରିବ। pic.twitter.com/AiGXKQ8GJj

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) October 21, 2018

Pradhan added that natural resources in the state were being looted by a few rather than being used to provide job opportunities to the unemployed youth. “Why do Odia boys and girls go in search of jobs or work even wage earners migrate to other states? Why cant they stay here and work as well as look after their elderly parents when Odisha has all the resources?”

The Union minister went on to add that a former minister of the BJD had exposed several scams in the state while a former BJD MP had also blown the whistle over the loot of mineral wealth.