Will take BJP's development agenda in Puri during campaigning: Sambit Patra

BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra, who is set to contest from Puri in Odisha, on Saturday said that the party's development agenda will be the main focus during electioneering in the temple town.

Thanking the top party leadership for nominating him as a candidate in the impending Lok Sabha polls, Patra told ANI: "I would like to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah for showing faith in me. Our main agenda will be taking forward our development plank in Puri. I will fully serve the people of Puri."

Asserting that the BJP would win in Odisha, Patra said that there is a "wave" for change in the country and it is a "wave" in support of the BJP.

"We request the people to elect us to full majority. There is a wave for change both in Odisha and in the country. See, in BJP-ruled states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision has led to the development, and the poor have been benefitted by our schemes and policies," he added.

In a veiled jibe at the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government, Patra said that despite Odisha's geographical location and being rich in minerals, there was lack of political will due to which the coastal state has lagged behind.

Patra's name was mentioned among the 36 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections announced by the BJP on Friday night, ending speculations that Prime Minister Modi could contest from Puri.

The decision was taken after a meeting of the Central Election Committee of the BJP in the national capital attended by the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj among others.

The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections will begin from April 11, and counting of votes will take place on May 23.

Odisha has 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats and the state will witness simultaneous elections in the first four phases, April 11, 18, 23 and 29.