Odisha panchayat polls: Shah’s visit seen as prospect booster for BJP

Bhubaneswar, Jan 20 (IANS) The visit of BJP National President Amit Shah will further enthuse the state unit of the party and it will fight the ensuing panchayat polls with renewed vigour, the Odisha BJP leaders feel.

Amit Shah, who arrived in Bhubaneswar on Friday to attend a programme of Maa Bimala Temple in Puri's Gobardhan Peetha, held a discussion with the state Bharatiya Janata Party leaders about the panchayat polls scheduled to be held next month.

"The National BJP President was apprised of the strategy for the panchayat polls. We held a detailed discussion on the issues on which the elections would be fought.

"The visit and advice of Amit Shah would definitely boost the morale of workers in the state," said senior BJP leader and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Union Tribal Affairs minister Jual Oram said Shah was apprised of the changed political situation in the state.

"He (Shah) asked the 'karyakartas' (workers) to work hard to get the desired results in the ensuing panchayat polls. We too hope that the election results will be in our favour. Amitji's suggestions will be helpful for the party activists," said Oram.

This was Shah's third visit to the state after he took over the reigns of the party.

In November last year, he had criticised the Biju Janata Dal government in the state for failing to ensure development of Odisha. He had asked the party workers to uproot the BJD government.