New Delhi:

As the Lok Sabha elections enter its final phase, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is confident of his party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), returning to power at the Centre and forming a government in Odisha, where assembly elections are being held simultaneously.

In an interview with the news agency ANI, the Prime Minister spoke about the decision of the BJP to not ally with the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) led by Naveen Patnaik despite sharing a good relationship with the Odisha Chief Minister. PM Modi said that he was willing to sacrifice his relationship for the welfare of Odisha.

On being asked about his relations with Mr Patnaik, PM Modi told ANI that in politics, relations between leaders should be good.

“We have good relations with the leaders of all the political parties of India and in a democracy we do not have enmity. Now the question is whether I should maintain my relations or worry about the fate of Odisha. I chose to devote myself to the bright future of Odisha and if I have to sacrifice my relations for that, I will sacrifice them and after the elections, I will convince everyone that I have no enmity with anyone,” he said.

The Prime Minister also emphasized that after the elections, he will convince everyone that he harbours no enmity with anyone.

Targeting the Naveen Patnaik-led BJP government in Odisha, PM Modi said that a group has taken over the entire Odisha system.

Mr Patnaik, who has been in power as the chief minister since 2000, is seeking a record sixth term in simultaneous state elections.

“There has been no progress in Odisha for the past 25 years. The biggest concern is that a toli (group) has taken over the entire Odisha system. It seems the whole system has been taken hostage. It is very natural that if Odisha comes out of it, then it will flourish,” PM Modi added.

“It is a question of the authenticity of Odisha. Odisha has so many natural resources. It is sad to see the poor people of such a prosperous state. Odisha is in the prosperous states of India. It is such a natural property but it is also in the list of states with many poor people. The government is responsible for this. That is why the people of Odisha should get their rights. Odisha should get its identity,” he added.

PM Modi further emphasised that on June 10, a BJP Chief Minister will take oath in Odisha.

“Odisha’s fate is about to change. The government is changing. I have said that the expiry date of the current government of Odisha is June 4. And on June 10, BJP’s Chief Minister will take oath in Odisha,” the Prime Minister said.

Responding to a question about his party’s performance in West Bengal in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi said that the eastern state will be the best performing one in the whole of India.

“In Bengal elections, TMC party is fighting for existence. You must have seen it in the last assembly elections, we had three seats. The people of Bengal took us from three to 80. We got a lot of support in the Lok Sabha in the last elections. This time, in the whole of India, the best-performing state will be West Bengal. The Bharatiya Janata Party will get the most success there,” he said.

In 2019, BJP made strong inroads into TMC’s hold in West Bengal, by winning 18 seats and being a close second to TMC, which won 22 seats.

The Prime Minister also mentioned that the elections in West Bengal are one-sided with the public supporting the BJP, which is creating panic in the Trinamool Congress government.

“There are constant murders and attacks. The BJP workers are being locked in jails before the elections. Despite all these atrocities, the public is coming out in large numbers to vote,” PM Modi added.

Prime Minister Modi said that his one-point agenda if elected again would be to ensure that the country achieves the goal of Viksit Bharat.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi dared Naveen Patnaik to name all the districts of Odisha and their district headquarters without referring to any notes as a test of his knowledge of a state he has governed since 2000, the chief minister has hit back and reminded the PM of all his forgotten promises.

The Biju Janata Dal chief – who was seen as close to PM Modi, had supported the BJP in crucial votes in Parliament, and was reportedly also in talks for an alliance with the party – also accused the PM of ignoring the “brave sons of Odisha” for the Bharat Ratna, including his father and former chief minister Biju Patnaik, as well as the Odia language.

In a video statement on Saturday, Mr Patnaik said he was asked how much he knew about Odisha and then turned the question on its head and asked the Prime Minister how much he remembered about the state and the promises he had made to it. 

“Even though Odia is a classical language, you forgot about it. You allotted Rs 1,000 crore to Sanskrit but zero to Odia. You have forgotten about Odissi music too. I sent two proposals to grant classical status to Odissi music, but you rejected both of them. There are so many brave sons of Odisha, some of whom you spoke about today. Don’t any of them deserve the Bharat Ratna, including the great son of Odisha, Biju Patnaik,” he asked.

The chief minister accused the Prime Minister of forgetting his promise to the farmers of the state to double the minimum support price and said he should have kept the people of Odisha in mind and built the coastal highway – which has been in the works for a while – but forgot about that too. 

Coal is Odisha’s natural wealth, Mr Patnaik said, and claimed the PM had “forgotten” to increase the royalty paid for that in 10 years.

“Remembering Odisha only during elections will not help. Do you remember the promises you had made in 2014 and 2019? The people of Odisha remember your promise to reduce prices of LPG, petrol and diesel, to create 2 crore jobs, to provide mobile connectivity to all, to reduce and waive GST. The people of the state have not forgotten any of these,” he said.

Reacting to the PM’s claim that Odisha, where Assembly elections and Lok Sabha elections will begin on Monday, will get a BJP chief minister on June 10, the BJD chief said nothing would happen on that date or even in 10 years. 

“The BJP can’t win the hearts of the people of Odisha. With Lord Jagannath’s blessings and the love of the people of Odisha, the BJD will form the government in Odisha for the sixth time,” he said. 

Addressing a rally in Odisha’s Kandhamal earlier in the day, the PM had issued the dare and also said he has a strong emotional connection with the state.

“I want to challenge ‘Naveen Babu’ as he has been the Chief Minister for so long. Can he name the districts of Odisha and their respective capitals without seeing them on paper. If the chief minister cannot name the districts of the state, will he know your pain,” the Prime Minister asked. 

“Odisha offers me immense love and support. I will repay every ounce of your trust by selflessly serving the country,” he said.