A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to form a panel to probe the “sudden” deterioration of Naveen Patnaik’s health, the Odisha Chief Minister on Thursday said that he is “perfectly fine”. Biju Janta Dal (BJD) supremo dismissed the “concerns” expressed by PM Modi and said that he has been actively campaigning in the State for the last month. The Prime Minister on Wednesday claimed a “conspiracy” behind Patnaik’s failing health. PM Modi also said that a full majority government would be formed at the Centre for the third time in a row after a five-decade gap.
In an interview with news agency ANI aired on Thursday, Patnaik said that if the PM was so concerned about his health, he would have called him and inquired about his health instead of stating it loudly at a public meeting.
“If the Prime Minister was so concerned about my health, even recently, he said that I’m a good friend of his; all he needed was to pick up the telephone and inquire about my health instead of stating it loudly at a public meeting three times yesterday. My health is perfectly fine. As you can see, I’ve been campaigning for the last month all over the state,” the Odisha CM said.
#WATCH | On PM Modi’s statement ‘if BJP comes to power in Odisha, a special committee will be formed to investigate Naveen Babu’s deteriorating health’, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik says “All I have to say is that if PM Modi is so concerned about my health, all he needed was to pick… pic.twitter.com/OkmHdZ1Lrq
— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2024
“And instead of the Prime Minister just picking up the telephone and asking me about my health, he has stated it loudly at a public meeting. This means that all he’s trying to do is garner votes during election time,” he said.
Addressing a poll rally in Baripada for the Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha segment, which goes to vote on June 1, PM Modi said there is a “conspiracy” behind Naveen Patnaik’s sudden deterioration of health and that he would form a committee to look into the Chief Minister’s medical history.
Patnaik claimed that rumours about his health have been spread by BJP leaders for the past decade, and that he has no health issues.
“This rumour has been spread by BJP members in Delhi for the past ten years, with little effect on me. And that is basically all I have to say about it. I have no health problems at all. I am in excellent health. I repeat: I’ve been campaigning for the last month in a very hot season, and I’m fine,” the BJD leader said.
When asked about a viral video showing visible tremors in Patanik’s hand during an election rally, the Odisha chief minister responded, “It’s not a medical condition at all. A visiting BJP chief minister exaggerated the situation for no apparent reason.