"Corruption has risen under BJD rule, time to bless BJP": Nadda in Odisha

Bargarh (Odisha) [India], May 17 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party president JP Nadda on Thursday attacked the ruling Biju Janata Dal in Odisha alleging that there was "corruption" and urged the people to bless the BJP in the assembly and Lok Sabha polls.
Addressing a public meeting in the Bargarh district on Thursday, ahead of the fifth phase of polling for Lok Sabha elections on May 20, Nadda said BJP will implement welfare schemes for people including women if voted to power.
"Is corruption taking place under BJD rule or not? Officers are indulging in corruption or not...they have embezzled crores of rupees," he said.
"Will you let these people come to power again?...This is the time to bless the BJP party by making it win," he added.
Nadda said that the Chief Minister of Odisha should be a leader who knows the culture of the state, speaks its language and is your brother. "It is a question of Odisha's self-pride," he said.
Nadda said Modi transformed politics after coming to power, focusing on development and performance.
He accused the opposition parties of trying to create divisions and indulging in appeasement and vote bank politics.
"The strategy was 'divide and rule'. However, in the last decade, Modi has transformed the definition of politics. Today, politics is about development and performance."
Nadda also talked about India becoming the fifth largest economy during the rule of BJP-led government and said the country will become the third largest economy in three years if the party-led NDA is re-elected in the Lok Sabha polls.
"Today, under Modi's leadership, India has surpassed Britain to become the world's fifth-largest economy. Now, let's make Modi the Prime Minister again... Modiji will become the Prime Minister for the third time, and within three years, India will become the world's third-largest economy," he said.
Nadda also talked about the speed of bringing out vaccines against coronavirus and India's progress in drug manufacturing.
The assembly and Lok Sabha polls in Odisha are being held across four phases--from May 13 to June 1. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.
In the last assembly elections in 2019, the BJD won 112 out of 146 seats. BJP won 23 seats and Congress got nine seats. (ANI)