By Sunil Jena, Editor-in-Chief | The Politics Odia
Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Odisha, particularly at the youth rally in Jharsuguda, carried a clear political message. While many expected him to take on the ruling BJD, Modi instead shifted his focus entirely to the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi.
From the very beginning of his address, opening with “Jai Jagannath” and invoking “Maa Samalei” Modi struck a chord with Odia sentiments. Yet, he refrained from naming the BJD and instead launched a direct attack on the Congress. Modi called Congress a “corrupt party”, cautioning people not to trust it.
This strategy revealed a deeper concern for the BJP. Rahul Gandhi’s slogan of “vote chori” (vote theft) seems to have unsettled Modi. Across India, Rahul’s popularity is reportedly growing while Modi’s grip appears to be slipping. Analysts suggest Modi’s sharp words signalled his fear that Congress could regain national strength by 2029, potentially even forming the government both at the Centre and in Odisha.
For Odisha BJP, this speech carried a warning: the real competition in the state may not be the BJD but the Congress. If unprepared, the BJP could find itself overtaken by a resurgent Congress led by veteran leader Bhakta Charan Das.
Bhakta Charan Das himself reacted strongly, saying, “It feels good that Modi now fears Congress. This shows that Congress is rising while BJD and BJP are weakening.”
The subtext of Modi’s Odisha rally is clear: while BJD may remain an ally of convenience, the BJP’s true challenge lies in countering Rahul Gandhi and the Congress wave that seems to be gathering momentum.
