Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha candidate from Sambalpur, Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday, April 22, 2024, attended the historic 'Hingula Lok Mahotsav' and offered prayers at Maa Hingula Temple at Talcher in Angul district, Odisha.
Mr. Pradhan said, "Today is a major festival of Maa Hingula...I came here to offer prayers and take her blessings. I hope that our country and Odisha keep moving on the path of development..."
"I have full faith that Maa Hingula will bless all of us. I will pray that everyone's wishes come true," he added further.Meanwhile, former Rajya Sabha MP and BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Dhenkanal, Rudra Narayan Pani lashed out at the Odisha government led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and said, "People's admiration for 'Modi's Guarantee' is increasing day by day and the state government here has been doing zero work. There is corruption being done in the state in the name of Odisha CM (Naveen Patnaik). Due to his corruption, people of the state are suffering a lot..."
It is noteworthy that Dharmendra Pradhan, who is the BJP candidate from Sambalpur Lok Sabha constituency, is contesting elections after a gap of 15 years.
Sambalpur goes to the polls on May 25
.In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) got the maximum number of seats, followed by the BJP and the Congress. The BJD won 12 seats, the BJP finished a close second at 8 seats and the Congress bagged just a lone seat.
The Lok Sabha elections in Odisha, which comprise 21 constituencies, are set to take place in four phases. The voting dates have been scheduled for May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. (ANI)
