Modi masterclass at Odisha BJP headquarters

Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Odisha BJP headquarters here on Friday and discussed ways to strengthen the party in the eastern state.

Modi spent around two hours at the party office during which he interacted with its leaders and workers. “Went to the @BJP4Odisha HQ and interacted with Party leaders and Karyakartas. We discussed how to keep strengthening the Party across the state and ways to keep working towards improving the lives of people,” the PM wrote on X.

The prime minister also dined with the party leaders at the BJP office here before heading to the Raj Bhavan, where he will spend the night.

“There was no discussion on the state government or any other related matter... We interacted as family members do,” Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal said.

BJP MP Rudra Narayan Pany said Modi patiently listened to what the party leaders and workers had to say.

“It was a great opportunity for the state BJP leaders as the prime minister came to the party office and listened to them,” he said.

Besides Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, Union ministers from Odisha – Dharmendra Pradhan, Jual Oram and Ashwini Vaishnaw – were also present at the state headquarters here.

A party source said though the BJP formed government in Odisha, its vote share was less than that of opposition BJD. “Therefore, the PM talked of ways to increase the party’s strength across the state,” he said.

In the last assembly elections, the BJP bagged 78 seats by securing 40.07 per cent of votes, while the BJD could manage only 51 seats, but had a 40.22 per cent vote share.