Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has firmly dismissed recent attacks by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regarding his health, particularly focusing on his trembling hands. In a calm yet pointed response, Patnaik, 77, accused the BJP of turning non-issues into issues amid the simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state.
“I believe the BJP, which is known to make non-issues into issues, are discussing my hands. This will certainly not work,” Patnaik stated, addressing the controversy that arose from a video showing his close aide, VK Pandian, seemingly trying to hide his trembling hands during a speech.
This is a deeply distressing video. Shri VK Pandian ji is even controlling the hand movements of Shri Naveen Babu. I shudder to imagine the level of control a retired ex bureaucrat from Tamil Nadu is currently exercising over the future of Odisha!
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (Modi Ka Parivar) (@himantabiswa) May 28, 2024
BJP is determined is give back… pic.twitter.com/6PEAt7F9iM
The video, which quickly gained traction, was first spotlighted by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Sarma posted the clip on X, formerly known as Twitter, with a caption expressing concern over Pandian’s influence over Patnaik. “This is a deeply distressing video. Shri VK Pandian ji is even controlling the hand movements of Shri Naveen Babu. I shudder to imagine the level of control a retired ex-bureaucrat from Tamil Nadu is currently exercising over the future of Odisha! BJP is determined to give back the reins of Odisha to the people of the State,” Sarma’s post read.
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The incident has further intensified the BJP’s focus on Patnaik’s health. Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently called for Patnaik’s retirement due to “advanced age and health issues,” suggesting that the BJP would replace him with a younger leader from Odisha if they win the elections. Shah also took a swipe at Pandian, criticizing the bureaucrat-turned-politician’s influence without directly naming him. Shah referred to Pandian as a “Tamil babu” ruling Odisha, promising voters that the BJP would liberate the state from “babu raj.“
Patnaik’s response to these criticisms was resolute. “There is a limit to the lies 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,” he told news agency ANI. He emphasized that such tactics by the BJP would not deter him or affect his leadership.
Pandian, a significant figure within Patnaik’s administration, has often been a target for the BJP. Recently, he enumerated what he termed as nine “self goals” by the BJP, which he claimed would ensure the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) remains in power.
As the election campaigns heat up, Patnaik’s health and his administration’s conduct will likely remain focal points in the BJP’s strategy. However, Patnaik’s confident rebuttals suggest he is prepared to confront these challenges head-on.
For more updates on the Odisha elections and other political news, stay tuned.
