Lashing out at the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said on Friday that the BJP has been spreading false information about his health. Later, he clarified that he is in perfect condition and has been actively campaigning for his party throughout the state for about a month.

“There is a limit to the lies that the Bharatiya Janata Party can tell. As you can see, I am in very good health, and I have been campaigning for around a month all over the state,” Odisha CM said, ANI reported.

#WATCH | Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik says, “There is a limit to the amount of lies BJP can tell. As you can see I am in very good health and I have been campaigning all over the state for months.” pic.twitter.com/O91A8ZMNJO

— ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2024

Hitting out at the BJP, BJD leader and key campaign strategist VK Pandian called the attacks substandard. “I only hope that BJP comes up with innovative ideas instead of talking about something which is non-existent. You are all watching the CM, it is very unfortunate, below the belt. The people of Odisha will not appreciate this kind of demeaning of CM who enjoys such popularity among the people of Odisha. I only suggest letting them come up with something innovative. It is so substandard,” Pandian said. 

The 77-year-old BJD leader, Naveen Patnaik, and Pandian made their remarks in response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent dig.

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Speaking at a public gathering in Sambalpur, Shah declared, “Odisha is being destroyed by the BJD government.” ‘Babu Shahi’ is being imposed on Odisha by Naveen Babu, undermining the dignity of the Odia people. Naveen Babu is strangulating Odisha’s pride and culture.”

He stated that while Odisha has many mineral riches and young, hardworking people, it does not have a hardworking Chief Minister.

“Odisha is an extremely beautiful state with a vast coastline, abundant mineral wealth, and young people who are hardworking; the only thing it lacks is a diligent chief minister. We will appoint a diligent young chief minister to the BJP government,” the Home Minister declared.

“Ironically, Odisha is amongst the most prosperous states of Bharat, and it’s here only that those among the poorest reside! Naveen Babu is leaving no stone unturned to loot and destroy this mineral resource-rich Utkal Bhoomi,” he outlined.

Shah took aim at the Odisha government, stating, “In the name of tourism, the BJD government is destroying the culture and tradition of Shri Jagannath temple.” Its goal is to make Shri Kshetra a commercial hub.”

The Union Home Minister also displayed confidence in winning the Lok Sabha polls. He stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had crossed 310 seats after the fifth phase of the polls. “This time, lotus will bloom in both the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Odisha. After 5 phases, Modi ji has crossed 310 seats. You have to make the lotus blossom here by getting more than 75 seats in the assembly elections,” he said.