Mayurbhanj, May 24: Launching a blistering attack on the Bhartiya Janata Party (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.
Patnaik's remark came while he was speaking to ANI in Mayurbhanj.
"There is a limit to the lies that the Bharatiya Janata Party 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 Pandian.
The statement of Patnaik and Pandian came in response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent jibe at the 77-year-old BJD leader. Shah, on Tuesday, while addressing a poll campaign in Odisha, said that 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.
Shah also asserted that the that the Patnaik-led government in Odisha is forcing 'Babu Shahi and hurting the dignity of the Odia people.
(ANI)
