Is there any conspiracy behind deterioration of Naveen Patnaik's health, asks Modi

Baripada: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday promised that if the BJP formed the government in Odisha, it would constitute a committee to ascertain the reason behind the "sudden" deterioration of the health condition of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, hinting at a "conspiracy" behind it.

Modi asserted that after a gap of five decades, a full majority government would be formed at the Centre for the third consecutive term.

Addressing an election rally here, he said, "Is there a conspiracy behind the sudden deterioration of Naveen Patnaik's health? Is the lobby that is currently running the Patnaik government on his behalf responsible for the sudden deterioration of his health condition?" "If the BJP forms the government in Odisha after the ongoing assembly elections, it would constitute a committee to ascertain the reason behind the deterioration of Patnaik's health," Modi said.

In an apparent reference to BJD leader V K Pandian, who hails from Tamil Nadu and is considered close to Patnaik, said, "Entire Odisha wants an Odia chief minister." "People of Odisha have decided to put a full stop to the 25-year rule of the BJD in the state," he said.

Modi asserted that under his rule, Indian economy rose from the 11th position to the fifth in the last 10 years.

The PM's remark on Patnaik's health condition came a day after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma alleged that Pandian was controlling even the hand movements of the Odisha CM.

Sharing a video showing Patnaik's hand shaking while delivering a speech at a meeting and Pandian putting it on a table, Sarma said in a post on X, "This is a deeply distressing video. Shri V K Pandian ji is even controlling the hand movements of Shri Naveen babu." Pandian was born in Tamil Nadu, studied in Delhi and started his career as a Punjab cadre IAS officer, but shifted to Odisha cadre after marrying an Odia woman. The BJP has been calling him an "outsider" in Odisha's politics.

In response to Sarma's comment, Patnaik in a video message had said, "I believe the BJP which is known to make non-issues into issues, are discussing my hands. This will certainly not work."