Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Jharsuguda on Saturday is set against the backdrop of simmering local grievances, with the Opposition ready to flag issues ranging from Odisha’s fertiliser shortages to mining cess.
Originally planned for Berhampur in southern Odisha, the meeting was shifted to Jharsuguda due to inclement weather conditions.
Modi is expected to inaugurate projects worth ₹60,000-crore and flag off the Berhampur-Surat (Udhna) Amrit Bharat Express through video-conferencing. This will be his seventh Odisha trip since the BJP came to power in the state, with the timing seen as a boost to the party’s campaign ahead of the Nuapada bypoll in western Odisha.
Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi has been camping in Jharsuguda for the past two days to ensure the visit’s success and also reviewed the state’s rain situation from there.
However, the visit comes amid simmering concerns over a fertiliser crisis, rising crimes against women, heightened cow vigilante activity and the sine die adjournment of the Odisha Assembly.
Congress leader and former Union Minister Srikant Jena said: “As the Prime Minister is going to the mining belt and tribal areas of the state, he should touch on why the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) has not been implemented. Had it been, Gram Sabhas would have had powers in mining auctions and operations. People of Jharsuguda are exposed to coal mining pollution without being adequately compensated.”
“We welcome the Prime Minister, but the visit should be purposeful and not limited to vote politics and propaganda. He should ask the chief minister to implement the Supreme Court order on mining cess. The court’s 2024 judgment allowed states to levy taxes on mineral-bearing lands, with Odisha entitled to reclaim about ₹2 lakh crore in retrospective dues since 2005. The state has already suffered huge losses by not enforcing the order...”
Jena recalled: “During the UPA government, five fertiliser plants were sanctioned, including one at Talcher. Four are now operational, but the one in Talcher is yet to start. We need an answer.”
BJD MLA Prasanna Acharya said: “It’s good to see the Prime Minister coming to the state regularly. But he will not touch on any real issues. He will only make big announcements, nothing more.”
CPIM leader Janardan Pati said: “When the BJP came to power 15 months ago, there was hype that Odisha would benefit from a double-engine government. But there has been no progress. Industries are shutting down. A large cable plant at Khurda was recently shut down and several plants in Paradip’s industrial corridor have
already closed.”
“In the last 15 months, several mines have been auctioned and more are in line. It seems the Prime Minister is batting only for corporate houses,” he added.