Shah tries to influence Odisha voters promising to give free education and jobs

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Sunday asserted that if Pakistan fires a bullet at India, their party will fire it back. Addressing a gathering at Vijay Sankalp Samavesh Programme here, Shah said: "If they fire a bullet at us, we will fire it back, unlike Rahul Gandhi and his confidant Sam Pitroda, who suggested us to have a dialogue with Pakistan."

The BJP president also claimed that the counter-attack launched by the country in response to Pulwama terror attack could not have been done by anyone other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. Shah also made a pitch for his party's commitment towards creating employment and reiterated its promise of providing employment to the youths of the state.

Earlier today, after releasing the manifesto for the state, Shah promised to fill vacant positions within two years of the formation of their government in the state. He also promised to provide free education to all poor students from pre-primary to the post graduation level. Shah also alleged that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik cannot work for the welfare of Odisha, as he cannot speak Odiya fluently.

"I was listening to Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He was speaking fluent Odiya. Will Naveen Babu be able to speak even five lines in Odiya, without looking at the paper," he remarked. He alleged that in the last five years, Rs 5.56 lakh crore was sent by PM Modi for Odisha, which has not reached the people.

Urging the people to vote for the BJP, he said that their government would free the state from corruption. "I request the people to throw out the current government in this election. If Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is elected again, the state will witness the chit-fund scam again," he said.

Odisha will vote in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29. The state will be voting simultaneously for 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)