As the political landscape in India gears up for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has made his intentions clear. In a candid interview with news agency PTI, Pradhan, who holds a prominent position within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and serves as a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, expressed his aspiration to contest the upcoming general elections from Odisha.

Pradhan firmly stated, “I want to contest the Lok Sabha polls in 2024. I have already informed the party about my wish and have requested it to give me a chance from Odisha. The BJP’s agenda is to ensure that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gets to serve the nation for a third term.”

Pradhan’s political journey began in 2004 when he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Odisha’s Deogarh constituency. His influence has since grown, as he was also elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha for two terms, representing both Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.

‘INDIA Bloc A Real Challenge…’

Addressing the looming challenge of Opposition parties uniting to challenge the BJP in the 2024 general elections, Pradhan acknowledged the significance of the INDIA bloc. He stated, “I consider it (INDIA bloc) as a real challenge because the BJP and the NDA do not take any election casually. From ground workers to top leaders, everybody takes each election very seriously, and the prime minister leads us from the front.”

While discussing the women’s reservation bill, Pradhan criticized the Congress party, saying, “The Congress let the women’s reservation bill lapse and did not show any dedication to it during its rule. Nobody had held their hands. They had the opportunity (to get the bill passed) but they did not do it.”

It is evident that Dharmendra Pradhan is focused on the BJP’s mission to ensure Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s continued leadership and is ready to play his part in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by vying for a seat from Odisha.