In 5 years, BJP will make Odisha number one state in country: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday promised that the BJP will make Odisha the number one state in the country in 5 years if a double-engine government is established in the state.

Addressing a public rally in Puri, the Union Home Minister said "Wherever there are double engine governments, our beloved PM Narendra Modi has worked on the development of all those states... Let's also establish a double-engine government here... I promise you that in 5 years, we will make Odisha the number one state in the country."

He also said that if the people of Odisha make the BJP win in more than 75 seats in the Odisha Assembly election then the BJP will appoint an Odia-speaking chief minister.

"Odisha's respect, language, culture art should be respected or not?... Is it acceptable that a Tamil Babu runs Odisha from behind Naveen Babu?... A Tamil becomes the CM, is that acceptable?... If it is not acceptable then you have an opportunity to vote for the BJP. Give us more than 75 seats and we will give you a chief minister that can speak Odia," he said.

"After 500 years, Narendra Modi has built the Ram Mandir. The whole country and the entire world were celebrating Ram Utsav. This Tamil gentleman was stopping our Odia brothers from celebrating Ram Utsav," he said.