'BJP CM will take oath in Odisha on June 10', roars PM Modi at Berhampur rally

by Utkalika Mohanty

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on a campaign trail to Odisha on Monday slammed the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) as well as the Congress party for looting the state, for seven decades after Independence and keeping the ‘resource-rich’ state poor.

Berhampur, May 6: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on a campaign trail to Odisha on Monday slammed the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) as well as the Congress party for looting the state, for seven decades after Independence and keeping the ‘resource-rich’ state poor.

Addressing a massive public gathering in the Berhampur constituency, PM Modi also urged the electorate to vote for the double-engine government in the state.

Doubling down his attack on the ruling Naveen Patnaik dispensation, PM Modi said: “Note it down, BJD government’s expiry date is June 4. Today is May 6, one month later on June 6, the BJP CM-designate will be decided and the oath-taking ceremony for BJP CM will be held in Bhubaneswar on June 10.”

He further said, “I have come here to give the invitation for the oath-taking ceremony of BJP government. BJD is in its twilight years and Congress is ruined in Odisha while BJP has emerged as the new sun of expectations and hope.”

PM Modi further stated that only a BJP CM with an understanding of Odia culture can solve the problems of residents speedily.

He further said that Odisha BJP has issued a visionary manifesto keeping in view the aspirations of Odisha, dreams of youths, capability of women and girls of Odisha.

“As you know BJP fulfils what it commits. After the formation of the government, we will start fulfilling promises with all our potential. This is Modi’s guarantee,” he told the gathering.

He said that the loot by Congress and BJD leaders is responsible for the poverty in Odisha, which is otherwise rich with natural resources.

PM Modi further said: “The remote-controlled government of Manmohan Singh gave Rs 1 lakh crore during their ten-year rule while our government has given Rs 3.5 lakh crore to Odisha. The BJD government has either not been implementing the developmental programs or hijacking them.

“Centre gave Rs 10,000 crore under Jal Jivan Mission but the BJD government couldn’t spend it properly. We supplied free rice to Odisha but the BJD government converted it into its own by putting their photos on those bags,” he pointed out.

Notably, Assembly and Lok Sabha elections will be held simultaneously in Odisha in four phases from May 13 to June 1. The results for both Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha will be declared on June 4.

(IANS)

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Captain Gopichand, Five Others Set To Fly To Edge Of Space Aboard Blue Origin Mission

by Hemanta Pande

New Delhi, May 19: Captain Gopichand Thotakura, along with five others, is set to fly to the edge of space on Blue Origin's crewed flight mission on Sunday evening.

The launch window by billionaire Jeff Bezos-owned space venture for the 11-minute flight opens at 6.30 a.m. PT (7 p.m. India time).

"We're 'Go' to proceed to launch, Sunday, May 19. The #NS25 launch window opens from Launch Site One in West Texas," the company posted on X social media platform.

The reusable New Shepard rocket is set to take the six-person crew to space above the Karman line which is an internationally recognised boundary of space that lies 100 km above the Earth's surface.

It's been more than two since Blue Origin's last crewed flight.

The six travellers include 90-year-old Ed Dwight, Mason Angel, Sylvain Chiron, Kenneth L. Hess, Carol Schaller and Thotakura.

With this mission, Thotakura will become the second Indian to visit space, after Rakesh Sharma's journey aboard Russian Soyuz T-11 in 1984.

After Sharma, three people of Indian origin have reached space -- Kalpana Chawla (1997), Sunita Williams (2006), and Raja Chari (2021) as NASA astronauts.

Blue Origin's NS-25 mission is set to lift off from Launch Site One in West Texas in the US.

The company has undertaken six human flight missions to date, and launched 31 people to the Karman line.(IANS)

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Nimapara MLA Samir Ranjan Dash Quits BJD

by Hemanta Pande

Puri, May 19: In another jolt to Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) amid the ongoing general elections, former Minister and incumbent MLA from Nimapara, Samir Ranjan Dash resigned from the primary membership of the party on Sunday, days after being denied party ticket to contest the assembly polls.

According to sources, Dash sent his resignation letter to BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

"I have been working for the Biju Janata Dal since 2006. Today, the BJD president has lost faith in me and the party's organisation in Gop and Nimapara... it is not appropriate for me to remain in the party. Hence I am resigning from the primary membership of the BJD," Dash said in a video message.

Dash, who won from the Nimapara seat thrice in a row in 2009, 2014 and 2019 on a BJD ticket, was denied the party ticket this time. Dillip Kumar Nayak, who recently joined BJD after resigning from BJP, was rewarded with the Nimapara ticket.

Later, the three-time legislator held a series of meetings with various segments of the constituency, including women, youth, and minority groups, garnering support for his electoral bid.

Dash was in the eye of a storm for his suspected role behind the suicide of BJD zilla parishad member Dharmendra Sahoo in September 2022. In the wake of the controversy, Samir had to step down as The School And Mass Education Minister in May 2023.