Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: Former Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik departed for New Delhi on Friday to visit his elder brother, Prem Patnaik, who is recovering from a heart surgery at a private hospital in the national capital.
According to reports, Prem Patnaik underwent the cardiac procedure on April 7.
Several prominent BJD leaders, including Pranab Prakash Das, Ashok Panda, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Sushant Rout, Sanjay Das Burma, Saluka Pradhan, and Tukuni Sahu, gathered at the airport to see him off. Naveen, who also serves as the Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly, is expected to spend a few days in Delhi with family members to offer personal support during this time.
Senior BJD leader Debi Mishra emphasised that the trip is purely personal and family-oriented. “Naveen Babu has gone to Delhi to meet his elder brother Prem Patnaik, who is hospitalised after falling ill. This is his personal visit,” he said.
Party sources also confirmed that there are no immediate political engagements scheduled during this short stay, allowing him to focus on his brother’s well-being.
Prem Patnaik, a Delhi-based businessman, had also visited Naveen when he underwent a spine surgery in Mumbai in 2025. His elder sister Gita Mehta, a writer, passed away in 2023.
