'If BJP comes to power, it will probe failing health issue of Naveen Babu', says PM Modi in Odisha
BHUBANESWAR: As the intense battle between the BJD and the BJP for the state’s political landscape enters the final phase and the saffron party under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi makes a last ditch effort to wrest power from the regional outfit, the health issue of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has returned to the centerstage of an acrimonious campaign.
A day after the video of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s close aide VK Pandian grabbing his left hand at an election rally went viral, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday broached a conspiracy theory behind the ‘deteriorating health’ of the Odisha CM.
“I want to bring to your notice a very grave concern about Naveen Babu. Well wishers of Naveen Babu are worried at the sudden deterioration of his health in the last year. People who have been working with him say that now Naveen Babu can't do anything on his own; they also speculate that it could be a conspiracy,” Modi said at the three public meetings he addressed at Baripada, Balasore and Kendrapara on the day.
“Is there a lobby behind this?,” the PM asked and said, “After our government is formed in the state a special committee will be formed to investigate this issue and bring out the complete truth. We will make the findings of that report public.”
Launching a blistering attack on the BJD government, accusing it of plundering the rich miuneral wealth of the state, the Prime Minister said “BJD left no chance to loot your mineral wealth but Modi created District Mineral Foundation fund to stop this. Modi gave thousands of crores of rupees to Odisha through this initiative. But BJD did a scam in this also.”
He said the BJD is looting people’s money and sending that to foreign lands. This is Modi's guarantee that wherever they hide their loot, it will be recovered and the looters will spend the rest of their lives in jail, the PM said.
To strike a chord with the tribal voters of Maryubhanj, Modi at his Baripada rally said, “Bhanja bhumi Mayurbhanj is the land of women empowerment. It was known for women only pulling the Subhadra Rath during Rath Yatra. Now, a daughter of the land holds the highest position of Rashtrapati Bhawan and lording over three chiefs of the armed forces.”
To drive home the point that BJD is anti-tribal, the PM said, “You trusted the BJD for 25 years. But in return, it broke your trust by bringing an ordinance allowing sale of tribal land. It deceived you, looted you and kept you underdeveloped. Now the people of Odisha have decided to put a full stop to the 25-year rule of the BJD in the state,” he added.
At his Balasore meeting, the PM said, “Balasore is the ‘Missile City’. Over the past 10 years, Bharat’s missile prowess has exponentially increased. We export our Brahmos missile to other nations and our Chandrayaan has reached a place that no other country has ever reached.”
He said works that the BJP government has done so far are just a trailer. In the upcoming 5 years, Vikas and Vishwas will gain more speed and in every sector, Aatmanirbharta will soar. The next 5 years will be of rapid development and glorious achievements. The next 5 years will free Bharat from the mindset of ‘ghulami’. The next 5 years will see Bharat's culture and capabilities shining across the world, the PM said wrapping up his campaigns in the state.