Click to play videoBhubaneswar: In Orissa, Kandhamal is the preferred campaign destination of top leaders across political parties. Rajnath Singh, Rahul Gandhi and Naveen Patnaik have all addressed crowds here over the last one week.
Orissa’s chief minister Naveen Patnaik said, "After Kandhamal, it became very difficult to continue with the BJP as an alliance and when they made unrealistic seats demands, BJD decided to break the alliance."
It's one issue that has redefined political ties in Orissa. Kandhamal is the word on the lips of every politician in the state.
The attack on Christians there has given enough fodder for political parties and big names are making a beeline for ground zero.
Naveen Patnaik himself attended as many as four public rallies in Kandhamal on Friday.
Though BJP's posterboy Narendra Modi's visit was cancelled at the last minute, Party President Rajnath Singh had made it a point to start his campaign in the state from Kandhamal and openly declared the party's saffron agenda.
BJP, President.Rajnath Singh said, "It’s good that BJP-BJD alliance broke in Orissa. Now Swami Laxmananda Saraswati's soul will rest in peace."
Not to be left behind, the Congress decided to send its yuvraj (prince) to canvass the secular votes.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "The BJP and BJD are both responsible for the violence here. Vote for the Congress as its will work for the poor."
The battle in Orissa is not just for the Lok Sabha, the state assembly polls are also happening simultaneously. For political parties, the Kandhamal issue is an easy way out to divert attention from the naxal threat and governance issues.
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