BJP National Executive meet will have no impact on Odisha: Patnaik

Bhubaneswar, April 7 (IANS) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday said the upcoming Bharatiya Janata Party National Executive meeting in the state capital will have no impact on the people.

"I don't think there will be any effect on Odisha," Patnaik, who is also the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President, told the media before leaving on a five-day visit to Delhi.

Patnaik would attend the Inter-State Council meeting and meet Union Ministers while in the national capital.

The BJP's National Executive meeting is scheduled to be held here on April 15 and 16.

The meet would be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah and several other senior leaders, including chief ministers from the BJP-ruled states.

The BJP, however, said "the upcoming meeting is already having its impact on the people". "Had that not been the case, Patnaik would not have reacted," said party spokesperson Sambit Patra.

The BJP also asserted it would win the 2019 assembly elections in Odisha. "Lotus will bloom on Lord Jagannath's feet in 2019 elections and BJP will come to power in Odisha," said Patra.

Reacting to the allegations that the BJP is engineering a split in the BJD, Patra said his party believed in building and not breaking. "We believe in 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas'," he said.

BJP national media in-charge Anil Baluni said there is a positive vibration in the country in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the massive mandate in Uttar Pradesh has proved that.

"In Odisha also, people want BJP and Modi," he said.