 "Naveen Patnaik, Odisha CM, Naveen, Patnaik")
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday said he was in perfect health, refuting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), if voted to power in Odisha, would investigate his health condition.
“If he was so concerned about my health, and he has stated publicly before that I am a good friend of his, all he had to do was ring me up and ask me about my health,” said 77-year-old Patnaik.
Addressing the public in Baripada, PM Modi questioned whether there was a conspiracy behind the CM’s deteriorating health, in an apparent reference to a viral video where Patnaik’s aide, V K Pandian, was seen grabbing his shaky hand during a rally.
“Is the lobby that is currently running the Patnaik government on his behalf responsible for the sudden deterioration of his health condition?” Modi asked at his first of three rallies in Odisha ahead of the June 1 elections.
Odisha is voting simultaneously in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
Also Read
Holding a rare press conference, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief countered Modi’s charge saying, “Let me assure the PM that I am in perfect health, and I have been campaigning in the state for the last month.” He accused Odisha BJP leaders of spreading rumours about his health for the past 10 years.
“Instead of concentrating on such rumours, he (Modi) should focus on the revision of coal royalties for the state and the demand for special category status, which we have been making for years. This will benefit the people of Odisha with all the funding,” he said.
BJD’s strategic alliance
Though the BJD claims to maintain equidistance from national parties, it has favoured the BJP’s causes in Parliament over the past 10 years. During his speech against the no-trust vote in August 2023, BJD MP Pinaki Misra had said his party was “grateful” to the Centre for fulfilling “just demands”, such as mineral royalty revision and the removal of export tax on iron ore and manganese.
In February-March, when there were talks of a pre-poll alliance between the two parties, Modi had shared the stage with Patnaik in official programmes and called the “lokpriya (popular) chief minister” his "mitra” (friend). After the talks failed, a war of words ensued, with Modi claiming that Patnaik didn’t even know the names of Odisha district headquarters despite governing the state for 24 years. Patnaik, in turn, reminded the PM of his “failed promises” towards Odisha.
CM’s defiant response
The Odisha CM has been releasing videos regularly to counter allegations about his governance and failure to uphold Odia pride, a key BJP poll plank during these elections. Responding to charges of his trembling hands, the CM said: "I believe the BJP, which is known to make non-issues into issues, are discussing my hands. This will certainly not work.”
In the press conference, Patnaik also suggested that if the PM wanted to form a committee, “he should do so to find the people who are spreading such rumours about my health.”
In media interviews during the elections, Pandian blamed BJP leader Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda for spreading rumours about the CM’s health.
