'He should have called me...': Patnaik on PM Modi's call for health probe

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the BJP would inquire into the reason behind Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s chief's deteriorating health, if elected to power.

The PM’s comments came a day after a video of Patnaik's aide VK Pandian grabbing the CM’s trembling hand during an election rally went viral.  “If BJP forms government in Odisha, a panel will inquire reason behind deterioration of Naveen Patnaik's health… Is there any conspiracy behind deterioration of CM Patnaik's health,” said the PM while addressing a rally in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj on Tuesday. "Every well wisher of Naveen Babu is worried at the sudden deterioration of his health in the last year. Is there any lobby behind this."

“Naveen Patnaik ji has had a memorable tenure as Chief Minister. But now he is indisposed. It is however unfortunate how he is being pushed to keep up a facade. Odisha realises it. A graceful farewell to the veteran politician and BJD, in these elections, would be a befitting tribute,” Malviya said in his post on X.

Other BJP leaders also posted the same video on social media. “Pandian Babu is even controlling the hand movements of the chief minister. I shudder to imagine the level of control a retired ex-bureaucrat from Tamil Nadu is currently exercising over the future of Odisha,” Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote while posting the video on X.

On PM Modi's statement to form a special committee to investigate his deteriorating health, Patnaik said, "I understand that the Prime Minister, in a public meeting, has stated that I am in a bad health and he wants to institute an inquiry into this matter. If he was so concerned about my health then all he had to do was pick up a telephone and ring me up and ask me about my health. There are a number of people in the BJP who have been spreading rumours about my health for the last 10 years. Let me assure the PM that I am in perfect health and I have been campaigning in our state for the last month..."

Recently, the PM said the fate of Odisha is about to change. "The government is changing. I have said that the expiry date of the current Odisha government is June 4 and on June 10, the BJP CM will take oath in Odisha,” said PM Modi.

In an interview with ANI, the PM said he is confident that the BJP will return to power at the Centre and will form the government in Odisha which is also facing Assembly elections simultaneously.