WITH THE BJP locked in a tough electoral battle with the BJD in Odisha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday raised questions about the “failing health” of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, and asked whether there is a conspiracy behind it by a power “lobby”. He said that once the BJP forms government in the state, a “special committee” will be instituted to probe the matter as the people of Odisha have a right to know about it. Hours after the Prime Minister made the claims at an election rally, Patnaik, who is seeking a sixth consecutive term in office, told reporters that he is in perfect health. “If he (PM) has to form a committee, I suggest he form a committee to look into the people who are spreading such rumours about my health,” he said. Addressing a poll rally in Baripada under Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha segment, which votes in the final phase on June 1, Prime Minister Modi said there is a need for a detailed probe to “uncover the mystery” about the “sudden deterioration” in the health of the Odisha Chief Minister. “Every well-wisher of Naveen Babu is now concerned and worried about how Naveen Babu’s health has deteriorated in the past one year. People who were close to Naveen Babu for years, when they meet me, often discuss the health condition of Naveen Babu. They told me that Naveen Babu can’t do anything on his own,” said Modi. He said they told him that “there could be a conspiracy” behind Patnaik's health condition. The Prime Minister said, “The question now is whether there is a conspiracy behind the deteriorating health condition of Naveen Babu? Whether the lobby that has been enjoying power from behind the scenes in Odisha in the name of Naveen Babu, has a hand in it?” Although Modi did not mention any name, he was targeting Patnaik’s close aide V K Pandian, a Tamil Nadu-born former IAS officer who has been under attack from the BJP, which has called him an “outsider” who is taking control of Odisha. During campaigning earlier in the state, Modi had accused Pandian of capturing the Chief Minister's Office as well as his residence. Referring to Patnaik's health, Modi said, “It’s necessary that the mystery needs to be uncovered. A probe is also needed in this regard. After the BJP forms government in Odisha after June 10, our government will constitute a special committee to probe why Naveen Babu’s health is failing suddenly. what is happening with his health. we will get all the details after the probe.” Hitting back at Modi, Patnaik told reporters: “I understand that the Prime Minister at a public meeting in our state today has stated that I am in bad health and he wants to institute an inquiry. If he was so concerned about my health, and he has stated publicly before that I am a good friend of his, all he had to do was pick up a telephone and ring me up and ask me about my health.” “I understand that there are a number of people in the BJP from Odisha in Delhi who have been spreading this rumour about my health for the last 10 years,” the 77-year-old said. “Let me assure the Prime Minister that I am in perfect health and I have been campaigning in the state for the last month.” “Instead of concerning yourself about such rumours, you should concentrate on revision of coal royalty for our state and also our demand for a special category status, which we have been begging for years. This will benefit the people of Odisha,” said Patnaik, before he left for Nimapara to campaign. The Assembly and Lok Sabha elections are being held simultaneously in Odisha stretching over four phases from May 13 to June 1. Six Lok Sabha seats and 42 Assembly seats will go to polls in the last phase. The Prime Minister, who addressed two other rallies in Balasore and Kendrapada later, said he is happy that the people have decided to put a “full stop” on the BJD’s 25 years of rule in Odisha. “Entire Odisha is saying that. 'Odisha ra Mukhyamanti, Odia hebe (An Odia will became the CM of Odisha)',” said Modi. He said it was his government that decided to elect Droupadi Murmu, who hails from Mayurbhanj district, as the President of India. “Earlier it (Mayurbhanj) was known for women pulling the chariot of Maa Subhadra during the annual Rath Yatra festival. But now Mayurbhanj’s daughter is the leader of 140 crore people and leading the country. As the President of India, she is commanding three armed forces,” said Modi. Addressing a rally in Kendrapada, with which he wrapped up his Odisha campaign, Modi said “an explosion” is expected to be seen in state politics in near future. “The way politics is being done within the BJD, we will see an explosion,” he said.
