BHUBANESWAR: With BJP emerging as a clear favourite of all pollsters for forming next Government at the Centre and exit poll conducted by two private TV channels indicating big gains for the saffron party in the Assembly, the party is confident of forming Government in the State. Asserting that the BJP will form Government both at the Centre and in the State, Union Minister Jual Oram said the mood of the voters in the country was in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The party will get over 300 seats in Lok Sabha. The exit poll predictions for State Assembly might prove wrong. We will form the Government in Odisha by winning over 70 MLA seats,” said Oram after attending a State-level workshop of party candidates in the city ahead of counting of votes on May 23.
“The party had a mission to win over 120 Assembly seats. I can’t predict the exact number but we will win more than 70 Assembly and 18 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha,” he added.
Exuding similar confidence, State BJP president Basanta Panda said a strong wind is blowing in favour of Modi across the country and all the exit poll surveys are showing that his party is returning to power at the Centre. Since the voters’ mood in Odisha is no way different, there is no doubt in BJP forming the Government in the State.
If the exit poll surveys by India Today and Today Chanakya will prove accurate, the BJP will be the leading party to form the Government at the Centre. “As the slogan ‘Phir Ek baar Modi Sarkar’ is going to bear the fruits, we will see the change of Government in Odisha and we will get the majority here,” he asserted.
Claiming that the BJP is rapidly gaining space in the State, Panda said the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress will be squeezed in the coming days. Panda, who presided over a meeting of party candidates and polling booth agents here, said the workshop was organised to educate them about the procedures and their role on the day of the counting of votes. “It was the last vital element in the process of electioneering and we wish to ensure absolute perfection,” Oram added.
The workshop held two days before the counting was attended by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, party’s national vice-president Baijayant Panda, national spokesperson Sambit Patra, former chief minister Giridhar Gamang, senior leader BB Harichandan, KV Singh Deo, Pratap Sarangi and State functionaries of the BJP.