Congress won’t win even 50 LS seats, will not get opposition party status after polls: PM

Phulbani (Odisha): In the heartland of political discourse, the enigmatic mystery surrounding the absent keys of Ratnabhandar, the revered treasure chest ensconced within the sacred confines of Puri Srimandir, has once again seized the limelight of electoral debate. Amidst the fervent backdrop of electoral fervor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has thrust this issue into the public sphere, casting a piercing spotlight on the conspicuous silence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

In a fervid address at Phulbani’s electoral rally, the Prime Minister launched a blistering assault on the administration led by Naveen Patnaik, decrying its evasion of the Ratnabhandar conundrum at a time when the devotees of Lord Jagannath clamor for elucidation on the condition of this sanctified repository, last inventoried an epoch ago, some 45 years past.

“It is indeed a matter of grave disquiet that the keys to the Ratnabhandar have remained elusive for the past six years, with the state apparatus proffering mere promises of procuring duplicate keys. What manner of governance is this, if it cannot safeguard the sanctity of the temple’s treasures?” remarked the PM, his words laden with incredulity and consternation.

“The vanishing of the Ratnabhandar keys is not merely an ominous omen; it portends a grave peril with the existence of duplicate keys,” he intoned solemnly, his rhetoric heavy with implications of clandestine activities under the shroud of darkness.

Modi’s inquiries cut deeper still, probing the purpose behind these duplicated artifacts: “For what end were these duplicate keys fashioned? Who held custodial responsibility over them, and were the troves of the temple surreptitiously breached under the cover of night? Are the sacred relics of the deities secure, or have they vanished into the abyss of theft?”

“The populace has an undeniable entitlement to clarity,” Modi asserted with unwavering resolve.

Scorning the state’s obfuscation of the findings from the Justice Raghubir Das commission tasked with unraveling the mystery, the Prime Minister vowed, “I solemnly pledge to restore the honor and sanctity of the Ratnabhandar. This, I assure you, is a guarantee from Modi.”

Venturing further, Modi prognosticated that the Congress would falter, failing to secure even fifty seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, and thereby forfeiting its status as the principal opposition party post-polls. He espoused the vision of a “double-engine” government in the state, with a leader rooted in the soil, versed in the intricacies of Odia culture and language, poised to assume the mantle of governance under the BJP banner.

In a scathing rebuke, Modi censured the Congress and BJD regimes for presiding over a protracted era of impoverishment and stagnation, particularly in Kandhamal. He contrasted their legacy of neglect with his administration’s resolve to transmute erstwhile neglected districts into beacons of aspiration for the nation, citing Kandhamal’s swift strides toward progress as testament to this transformative vision.

Drawing a sharp juxtaposition between Odisha’s latent economic potential and the dearth of political will to harness it under Naveen Patnaik’s stewardship, Modi extolled the meteoric rise of Gujarat sans abundant mineral wealth, juxtaposing it against Odisha’s untapped riches.

“I challenge Naveen Babu to recite the names of districts and their headquarters without recourse to written prompts. If a Chief Minister remains oblivious to the plight of his people and the intricacies of his state, what good can he bring forth?” Modi demanded rhetorically.

Having appealed for a shift in allegiance from the entrenched BJD to the burgeoning BJP, Modi pledged to orchestrate Odisha’s economic resurgence within a span of five years, leveraging its bountiful tourism potential, exemplified by the scenic allure of Daringbadi, often hailed as the ‘Kashmir of Odisha’. He further committed to establishing a spices park in the tribal heartland of Kandhamal.

Expressing profound gratitude for the warm reception accorded to him in Bhubaneswar, Modi vowed to reciprocate the affection of the populace by steering the state towards prosperity, encapsulating his pledge with the vision of a ‘viksit Odisha’.

Prior to his impassioned address, the Prime Minister sought the blessings of luminaries such as Padma Shri Purnamasi Jani, a poet and social activist, and Tula Behera, a humble beggar whose magnanimous donation to the Jagannath temple underscored the ethos of selflessness and devotion. Embarking on the second leg of his campaign trail in Odisha, Modi traversed the electoral landscape, addressing fervent gatherings in Balangir and Bargarh, each resonating with the fervor of political transformation and the promise of a brighter future.