Expiry Date of BJD Govt Is June 4: PM Modi Takes Dig At Naveen Patnaik in Odisha

Berhampur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took a sharp jibe at Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and said that the expiry date of the BJD government is June 4, the day the assembly election results will be announced.

Addressing an election rally in Berhampur, the Prime Minister said, "Odisha needs a CM who understands Odia language and culture." "The BJP will form a double-engine government here after the ongoing elections. The expiry date of the BJD government is June 4, 2024."

He further urged the people to give a chance to the BJP to develop the state and make it number one in the country. 

PM Underlines Track Record of Modi Govt 

In another rally at Nabarangpur, which is referred as the tribal heartland of Odisha, PM Modi claimed that the BJP government at Centre has been working for the upliftment of the indigenous people. 

"You have seen the track record of ten years of Modi's leadership. Modi increased the budget for tribal welfare by five times than the earlier allocation,” the PM said. 

Emphasising BJP's focus towards development of indigenous tribal groups, PM Modi said that the Centre has set up 'Eklavya Model Residential' schools in tribal areas and the number of such schools has crossed 400. 

"People belonging to ST, SC and OBC categories comprise seven per cent in his ministry," he said. PM Modi also claimed that Odisha has not benefitted from the Ayushman Bharat Yojana as the "BJD government did not implement" it in the state.

He accused the Patnaik-led BJD government of "not allowing schemes made by Modi to be implemented in Odisha".