Odisha needs double engine ‘Sarkar’: Rajnath

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday emphasised the importance of establishing a double engine government in Odisha to ensure steady progress for the state, aligning it with the development trajectory of the rest of the country.Singh said this while addressing a public meeting at Ambapua near Berhampur town here.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday emphasised the importance of establishing a ''double engine'' government in Odisha to ensure steady progress for the state, aligning it with the development trajectory of the rest of the country.

Singh said this while addressing a public meeting at Ambapua near Berhampur town here. Party workers from five Lok Sabha segments such as Berhampur, Aska, Bhubaneswar, Kandhamal and Puri attended the meeting. ''No force can stop BJP from forming the government in Odisha this time,'' he said. Encouraging party workers to engage with the public, Singh urged them to communicate the welfare measures initiated by the Modi government for various segments of society. He called upon BJP workers to commit to the formation of a ''double-engine sarkar'' in Odisha, asserting that the party would perform well not only in the Lok Sabha polls but also in the Vidhan Sabha elections, which are scheduled alongside the Lok Sabha polls.

''We will not only do well in Lok Sabha polls, but BJP will also do well in the Vidhan Sabha polls,'' he asserted. Singh highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's focused attention on Odisha, contrasting the financial support provided by the previous Congress-led UPA government with the substantial allocation under the BJP-led NDA government.

''While the previous Congress-led UPA government had provided only Rs 3 lakh-crore to the state in 10 years, the BJP-led NDA government has allotted over Rs 18 lakh-crore to the state after coming to power in 2014,'' he said. He emphasised India's and Odisha's aspirations for development and praised the country's economic progress under Modi's leadership, citing endorsements from global institutions like the IMF.

''Once we were standing in front of IMF as petitioners. However, things have changed during Modi's tenure,'' Singh said. Singh asserted that because of India's global goodwill, the death sentence of eight former Indian sailors in Qatar was pardoned. ''No one else could have done this work except Modiji,'' the Defence Minister said. Singh credited Modi with enhancing India's global reputation, citing instances of diplomatic successes and advancements in space technology. He expressed optimism about India's future role on the world stage, emphasising BJP's commitment to nation-building and the elimination of corruption through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanisms.

''Today, India's Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan and Adityayan have been successfully launched. This is not only the success of the scientists but also the inspiration of our Prime Minister. When Chandrayaan-1 did not achieve desired results, the PM encouraged the scientists,'' Singh said. This apart, the Defence Minister also claimed that Modi has helped improve India's reputation in the entire world. ''Some call him (Modi) Boss, the president of a country even touched his feet in respect,'' Singh said. Optimistic of Bharat becoming ''Vishwaguru'' soon, the Singh said BJP's aim is not just to do politics and remain in power, but rather its priority is to build the nation. Recalling former PM Rajiv Gandhi's famous remark that only 14 paise reaches the people at the grassroots level when the Centre sends 100 paise, Singh said the corruption is now eliminated and people are getting 100% funds released from Centre through DBT. He said India has proved its worth across the globe during the pandemic by supplying vaccines to several countries besides carrying out immunisation drives throughout the country. Singh ridiculed the INDIA alliance and said the combination is disintegrating by the day.