Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday urged people to bring the BJP to power both in Odisha and at the Centre to ensure a “double-engine” government for fast development of the state.

Addressing a rally at Berhampur in Ganjam, the home district of Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, the Prime Minister said that his party would declare its chief ministerial candidate on June 6 and the swearing ceremony of the party government will be held on June 10.

Launching a direct attack on the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government, Modi said this government would expire on June 4 making way for a new dispensation. “The BJD government will expire on June 4. The BJP will declare its chief ministerial candidate on June 6 and the oath-taking ceremony of the BJP chief minister will be held on June 10 in Bhubaneswar. I have come here to give an invitation to you all to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the new chief minister,” said Modi, who also addressed a rally at Nabarangpur.

Reacting to the Prime Minister’s comment, Naveen said: “For the last so many days, the BJP has been daydreaming about forming a government in Odisha.” The BJD exuded confidence about winning a straight-sixth term.

Chief minister’s Man Friday, bureaucrat-turned-politician V.K. Pandian, said: “On June 9, the state will see Naveen Patnaik taking oath as chief minister for the sixth time between 11.30 am and 1.30 pm. No amount of rhetoric can change the poll outcome.”

This was Modi’s first visit to the state after March 5 when he had described the chief minister as his “friend”. However, after the alliance talks failed, their bonhomie seems to have ended. Though Modi refrained from launching a personal attack on the chief minister, he made it amply clear that Odisha had failed to make desirable progress under the BJD government.

Taking a dig atNaveen’s alleged dependence on Tamil Nadu-born former IAS Pandian, Modi said that the BJP chief minister of Odisha will be a son of the soil and not an outsider. “Our chief minister will be from the state and someone who understands lives and is proud of Odia culture and knows its problems which he can solve,” said the Prime Minister adding that this was “Modi’s guarantee”.

Comparing the BJP as the “rising sun” in Odisha and BJD as the “setting sun”, Modi said: “In Odisha, BJD is sinking while Congress is nowhere and people have faith in BJP. BJP is the only ray of hope for people. Give us an opportunity to serve you,” he said.

Launching a no-holds-barred attack on the BJD government for not implementing the Ayushman Bharat Yojana and not providing Rs 6000 financial assistance to pregnant women under the central scheme. He also criticized the Naveen government for taking credit for giving cheap rice to the poor. “We are sending the rice but the BJD government is putting its stickers on the rice bags as if they are distributing it. This is beimani (dishonesty),” he said.

Modi said the Congress government ruled the state for nearly 50 years and the BJD for 25 years but no significant changes have been made.

Describing the BJP’s manifesto as a visionary document Modi said all the promises made in it will be implemented. “This is Modi’s guarantee,” he averred.