Puri: A day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced its list of MP candidates for 18 seats in Odisha, two of them– Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and party’s national spokesperson Sambit Patra– visited the Shree Jagannath Temple here, this morning.
The two sought blessings of the deities ahead of the polls. While the saffron party has fielded Pradhan as its MP candidate for Sambalpur Parliamentary Constituency, it made Patra its MP nominee for Puri seat.
“We will carry forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision and work towards a 25-year vision for the state, visiting households with this perspective. Change is imminent in Odisha, and even Lord Jagannath embraces change during Nabakalebara,” said Pradhan.
“After becoming the Lok Sabha candidate from Sambalpur, the sacred land of Maa Samlei, it is my great fortune to reach Odisha and first get the blessings of Mahaprabhu Jagannath. I wish to be ready to serve the public with my full capability and strength, this is my wish from Mahaprabhu,” he posted on ‘X’.
Patra said, “In the 2019 elections, I narrowly missed victory in Puri. Following the Lord’s guidance to serve and work alongside the people, I have dedicated myself to this seva.”