It was not an easy decision for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) when its karyakartas decided to go on a rampage and tear up the posters of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the invincible, most popular and cult figure in the State. But, they had to take this calculated risk to save the image of ‘Brand Modi’.

BJD played its game by excluding photos of PM Modi from all vaccination centres and putting up Naveen Patnaik’s. As expected, the provocation worked evoking strong reaction from the BJP workers. The issue may snowball into a major controversy, as BJP can tolerate anything but any “insult” to PM Modi, who still remains their “poster boy” across the country.

While no politicians deserve a place in the posters at vaccination centres and vaccinated people as well as the Covid Warriors should replace them, it would be interesting to see how people of Odisha react to this bitter tussle between both parties for a wrong cause.