Narendra Modi is expected to come to this steel city next month to mark his maiden visit to Odisha after becoming the Prime Minister.
This speculation has gained ground after the visit of SAIl Chairman CS Verma here on Friday. Sources said a talk process with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has been initiated by the SAIl for inauguration of the Rourkela Steel Plant’s modernisation units during the second week of July by the Prime Minister.It is also learnt that the modernisation works are almost in their completion stages. Only two units, 4,300 plate mill and 150T basic oxygen furnace-3, are to be started on test basis. With this, all the units’ testing process will be completed and a formal inaugural function will be held.
From the political point of view too, Rourkela holds significance for the BJP as the Sundargarh lok Sabha constituency, which includes the Rourkela Assembly segment, was the only one in Odisha to elect a BJP candidate, Jual Oram, to Parliament.Modi had addressed half a dozen of public meetings, including one at Rourkela, in the State during his poll campaign. But only Sundargarh voters honoured his call to return all the 21 lotuses of Odisha (the BJP nominees in the State’s 21 lok Sabha seats) to Parliament.
And Dilip Ray was the only BJP Assembly candidate who won the Rourkela seat out of the seven Assembly segments under the Sundargarh lS constituency. So, it is assumed that during his visit to Odisha, Modi will come to the steel city first to express his gratitude to the Sundargarh voters.