Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan speaks about the BJP’s electoral prospects in Odisha, where the party hopes to gain ground, and the induction of leaders from other parties, including the Biju Janata Dal. Excerpts:
How do you look at this election? There are reports that while for the Lok Sabha, there may be a preference for Prime Minister Modi, and or the Vidhan Sabha, Naveen Patnaik is still the top choice...
That is not the indication that we have got from the first phase of polling that just concluded, in four Lok Sabha and 28 Vidhan Sabha [seats]. The ground reports are something else. This is a perception spread by some friends that Odisha may differentiate the [election to the] Lok Sabha and the Assembly. Never in Indian history of Indian elections has the voter differentiated thus.
There is a pro-Modi wave in the State, and the Prime Minister has appealed to the voters to elect a BJP-led government at both the Centre and the State. Mr. Naveen Patnaik is facing huge anti-incumbency.