Modi visit will have no impact, says Naveen

Both the regional outfit Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Congress, which came under virulent attack during the course of the address by the BJP's prime ministerial aspirant Narendra Modi as to a massive rally in the city, have dismissed his inspirational speech as mere rhetoric and inconsequential.

Modi had raked up issues like chief minister Naveen Patnaik's knowledge of Odia, migration of large number of labourers from Patnaik's home district Ganjam to Gujarat and overall development of the state.

"I do not think it (Modi's visit) will have any impact on BJD or in Odisha," said Patnaik.

The BJD has a strong relationship with the people of Odisha and therefore, the Modi's visit will bear no impact, the party leaders said.

"I know that Odia people are good at designing sarees. But why they have to go to Gujarat to do that? Why can't they set up their business here," Modi had asked at the meeting.

He had also criticised the developmental model of Patnaik, saying only Gujarat model of development is suitable for eastern Indian states. which are relatively poorer than west Indian states.

Modi even tried to strike an emotional chord with the local population by talking about the dream of Biju Patnaik, who lends his name to the ruling party.

"The relationship of Naveen babu with the Odia people is so intimate that, no party or its leader's speech can have any influence over BJD," said Prafulla Ghadai, senior leader of the party.

BJP has been a distant third party in terms of voting share after the BJD and the Congress in the state.

The party has not been able to perform well in elections after Patnaik severed ties with it ahead of 2009 elections.

Main Opposition leader Congress also countered his mention about corruption at the Centre in his address.

"Modi still has one minister in his cabinet who has been convicted in a corruption case. He has no right to talk about corruption in Congress government," said Narasimha Mishra, senior Congress leader.