A woman wearing the BJP colours at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Balasore on Thursday. Telegraph picture

Thank you, Lord

State BJP leaders thanked Lord Jagannath because there was no rain on Thursday. All of them referred to it in their speeches. They had a bitter experience on Wednesday when the dais almost collapsed following heavy rain. 

Oram jibe at Jena

Congress leader and former central minister Srikant Jena’s posers to the Prime Minister ahead of his visit found echo at the meeting. Taking a jibe at Jena, Union tribal affairs minister Jual Oram said more than his questions, people would like to know why the then Congress MP was not made a cabinet minister in the UPA government. He was a junior minister in the government.

Emerging leader

Union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan is rapidly emerging as the state’s most important BJP leader. Other leaders have started feeling that if they remain in the good books of Pradhan, they can rise in the party structure. When Pradhan came to the second dais erected for local leaders, there was a rush among them, including a former chief minister, who rose from his chair and rushed to greet him.  

Gamang son

Former chief minister Giridhar Gamang is going all out to promote his son Sisir in the BJP. Though senior BJP leaders have accepted Giridhar because of his stature, the junior Gamang remains an outsider. Aware of his son’s plight, senior Gamang takes Sisir to every major programme of the party and introduces him to BJP leaders. Sisir was today 
seen sitting next to his father throughout the programme.

Anti-Naveen leaflet

Leaflets were distributed at the Prime Minister’s meeting criticising chief minister Naveen Patnaik. However, instead of BJP doing this, they were distributed in the name of Sachetanata Nagarika Mancha. The leaflets urged the Prime 
Minister to arrest the leaders involved in various scams and those responsible for looting money from the state exchequer. The leaflet also criticised Naveen.

Pinki moves

Film actress Pinki Pradhan was trying her best to draw attention towards herself by frequently moving around and mixing with leaders and trying to take photographs with them. She was also in touch with the electronic media reporters and told them that she was ready to give bytes whenever they wanted. 

Warm welcome

Ashok Sahu still has a large following in the party. After withdrawal of his suspension from the party, it was the first major programme of the BJP that he attended. When Sahu came on the dais, all those present stood up and welcomed him.