Naveen: Amit Shah applauds Naveen Patnaik for battling Maoists in Odisha | India News – Times of India
He was speaking at an event here to inaugurate two NHAI projects and review the Maoist situation and disaster preparedness in Odisha.
Describing Naveen as a popular CM, Shah congratulated him for becoming the second longest serving CM of a state, surpassing the record of ex-West Bengal chief minister late Jyoti Basu.
“I thank Naveen babu and Odisha government for reducing Naxal menace. Odisha has also achieved almost zero casualty by disaster management. I once again thank Naveen babu for the disaster management model. He has supported the Modi government’s anti-Maoist and disaster management initiatives,” Shah said.
Naveen, who attended the event, said: “Odisha always believes in cooperative federalism. I thank the central government for its support to the state in its development agenda,” Naveen said.
While Naveen and Shah exchanged mutual gratitude over state and Centre cooperation despite being political rivals in Odisha, it evoked reactions from different quarters in the backdrop of the recent support by BJD to the Modi government on the Delhi services Bill and the no-trust motion against it.
Congress functionary Niranjan Patnaik alleged that BJP and Naveen’s BJD have struck a tacit understanding. “Both parties are two sides of the same coin,” Niranjan said.
BJP and BJD separately reacted to the allegations. The BJP state unit said it will fight the 2024 elections alone in Odisha. “Shah held a meeting with our leaders. His message is loud and clear. He asked us to further strengthen the party and reach out to the masses against the corrupt state government,” BJP state chief Manmohan Samal said.
BJD, meanwhile, said BJP continues to be their principal opponent in Odisha. “Shah recognised and praised Patnaik for the BJD government’s good work and governance,” senior BJD member Prasanna Acharya said.
