Bhubaneswar, Jan 25: As elections are round the corner, the political drama has unfolded in Odisha. The political parties have started their campaigns with innovative ideas against the opponents.
On Thursday, the Odisha Congress organized a mock marriage ceremony between the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing them of having a 23-year-long "live-in relationship." The ceremony, orchestrated by the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress, unfolded outside the Congress Bhawan, complete with a mandap, marriage cards, a barat party, and a feast.
The so-called marriage event was held at Master Canteen Square in Bhubaneswar with all Hindu rituals, including the wedding mantra by the priest. Interestingly, the organizer has also printed marriage cards mentioning the date and venue of the events. They have announced the marriage ceremony of BJP with BJD, welcoming everyone to participate and bless the bride and groom.
This isn't the first time the Congress has resorted to such dramatic tactics. Last year, they conducted a similar marriage ceremony between the BJP and the BRS in Telangana before the Assembly elections.
Ajaya Kumar, the AICC leader and incharge of Odisha Congress, alleged a tacit understanding between the BJD and the Congress, claiming that both parties have been supporting each other on numerous issues. According to Student Congress president Yasser Nawaj, the BJD and BJP have been in a "live-in relationship" for 23 years, and the mock marriage was an attempt to make their alliance official.
The ceremony took place in a decorated mandap where the groom, symbolizing the BJP, wore a party mask, while the bride, representing the BJD, had her face concealed behind a party mask as well. The marriage was officiated in the presence of a priest, surrounded by Congress activists donning face masks featuring prominent political figures such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, and other leaders from both the BJP and BJD.
The Congress, in its characteristic dramatic style, accused the BJD and BJP of having such a strong bond that it allegedly prevents the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from investigating significant scams in the state, including the Chit Fund scam, CBI scam, and Mining scam.
In response, both the BJD and BJP dismissed the event as a desperate and cheap political stunt by the Congress. They asserted that the Congress is well aware of its lack of public support and is resorting to sensational acts to gain attention. The ruling parties predicted a major setback for the Congress in Odisha politics.
