Launching a blistering attack on the BJP, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said on Friday that the BJP has been spreading lies about his health, adding that he is perfectly well and has been campaigning for his party for around a month across the state.
Mr Patnaik's remark came while he was speaking to news agency ANI in Mayurbhanj. "There is a limit to the lies that the BJP 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 told ANI.
Adding to the criticism of 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," said Mr Pandian.
Naveen Patnaik and Pandian's statements came in response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent jibe at the 77-year-old BJD leader.
Mr Shah, on Tuesday, while addressing a poll campaign in Odisha, said that Mr Patanaik should retire due to his advanced age and health issues, promising that the BJP will make a young Odia-speaking 'bhumiputra' the CM if people of the state vote BJP into power.
Mr Shah also asserted that the that the Patnaik-led government in Odisha is forcing 'Babu Shahi and hurting the dignity of the Odia people.
Addressing a public rally in Sambalpur, Mr Shah said, "The BJD government is destroying the state of Odisha. Naveen Babu is forcing 'Babu Shahi' on Odisha and hurting the Odia people's dignity. Naveen Babu is 'strangulating' the culture and pride of Odisha."
He said that Odisha has a lot of mineral wealth and hardworking youth but lacks a hard-working Chief Minister.
"Odisha is a very beautiful place; it has a long coastline, a lot of mineral wealth, and hardworking youth but the only thing missing is a hard-working Chief Minister. For the BJP government, we will give a hard-working young CM," the Home Minister said.
"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 added.
Hitting out at the Odisha government, Mr Shah said, "The BJD government is destroying the culture and tradition of Shri Jagannath temple in the name of tourism. It wants to turn this Shri Kshetra into a commercial centre."
The Union Home Minister also exuded confidence in winning the Lok Sabha polls. He said after the conclusion of the fifth phase of the polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has crossed 310 seats.
"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.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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