Odisha: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan offers prayers at Maa Samaleswari Temple in Sambalpur

Sambalpur (Odisha) [India], March 26 (ANI): Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha candidate from Sambalpur constituency, Dharmendra Pradhan, offered prayers at the Maa Samaleswari Temple here on Tuesday.

After offering prayers at the temple premises, Dharmendra Pradhan told ANI, "Goddess Samaleshwari's Temple is one of the prominent religious places in the country. I am fortunate to be a candidate from here."

The BJP leader offered his respects to the goddess Maa Samaleswari and performed the "Dandvat Pranam" at the temple premises.

Earlier on Monday, Dharmendra Pradhan offered prayers at Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri and said a wave of change is visible in Odisha, and this time the Bharatiya Janata Party will form government in the eastern Indian state.
Pradhan is set to contest in the Lok Sabha polls from the Sambalpur constituency.
The Bharatiya Janata Party called off its alliance with Biju Janta Dal (BJD) in Odisha ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the party's state president, Manmohan Samal, said last week.
The BJP will fight for all 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats in Odisha alone.
The Lok Sabha elections in Odisha, which comprise 21 constituencies, are set to take place in four phases. The voting dates have been scheduled for May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Odisha, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) emerged as the dominant party, securing 20 out of the 21 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a single seat.
However, the 2019 elections saw a shift in the political landscape. The BJD's seat count was reduced to 12, while the BJP made significant gains, winning 8 seats.
This change marked a notable increase in the BJP's presence in the state. The Indian National Congress (INC) also managed to secure a seat in the 2019 elections. (ANI)