Naveen is a popular chief minister: Akhilesh

Complimenting Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik by calling him "experienced" and "popular" among people, his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Akhilesh Yadav today said he needs to "learn a lot" from him.
"You are more experienced and much popular among the people as a chief minister. I need to learn a lot from you," Akhilesk told Patnaik in the presence of reporters after a meeting between the two leaders at the beginning of his two-day tour of Odisha.
Stating that they had discussed different development and welfare schemes being implemented in their respective states, Yadav lauded Mamata Scheme for pregnant women, housing scheme for the poor and other health programmes in Odisha.

"We are also doing some good works in Uttar Pradesh," Akhilesh Yadav said, adding, both the states would work in tandem for the benefit of people, particularly the poor living in rural areas.
Patnaik on his part said, "We had a discussion on mutual interest. The insurance scheme, expressway project between Lucknow and Agra and metro projects were discussed."
During his visit, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister is scheduled to visit KIIT University and interact with the tribal students of KISS tomorrow.

Yadav is likely to meet Samajwadi Party leaders and some investors in the state before leaving for Lucknow.
Meanwhile, in a memorandum the Samajwadi Party Odisha unit urged Yadav for a guest house for the people of Odisha visiting Uttar Pradesh.

"There is lot of similarities between the people of Odisha and Uttar Pradesh. Religious tourism can be developed between the two states," Samajwadi Party Odisha unit President Rabi Behera said.