Keep dreaming, says Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik as aide sets June 9 date

BHUBANESWAR: A video featuring Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik telling his aide-turned-protege VK Pandian inside an airborne chopper that “BJP has been daydreaming since a long time” became BJD’s riposte on Monday to PM Narendra Modi’s assertion that a CM from the saffron party would be sworn in on June 10.

The clip released by BJD shows Pandian, who quit the bureaucracy last Oct to join politics, engaging Naveen in conversation with an inquisitive tone, “BJP is saying they will form the govt in Odisha?”

Pat comes Naveen’s reply, although he doesn’t mention the Prime Minister.

At a campaign stop later in Bhawanipatna under Kalahandi Lok Sabha constituency, Pandian sought to put speculation at rest about him being the “successor” by announcing to the crowd that Naveen would start a sixth consecutive term as CM on June 9. “With your blessings, our beloved chief minister will once again take oath between 11.30am and 1.30pm on June 9,” he said.

Naveen said the opposition was trying to mislead people by making tall promises that it won’t keep. The BJD patriarch then sought the crowd’s endorsement of the welfare measures initiated by his govt, countering PM Modi’s allegation that BJD had denied the people of Odisha the benefit of central schemes.

“Is Mission Shakti good? Is Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana good? Is the transformation of schools and Shree Mandir Parikrama project good?” Naveen asked, eliciting a chorus of affirmation.

Pandian said that whoever the deity Shri Jagannath wants would serve him and his people. “The chief minister has the blessings of the Lord, so he is serving him and will continue to do so. With your support, Odisha will create history.”

On Naveen’s 24 years as CM, the former bureaucrat said, “Ask BJP whether they have selected a CM candidate with 24 years of performance. Their words are full of pretence.” He sought to counter Modi’s remark about Odisha being denied the benefits of Ayushman Bharat by saying that the state’s share of the scheme was “only Rs 300 crore” a year.

“Odisha spends that much money in a month to treat people under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana,” Pandian declared.

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