Discussing My Hands Won’t Work, Naveen Patnaik Responds To BJP’s Amit Malviya ‘Graceful Farewell’ Post

New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: Amid Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s assertion that Naveen Patnaik will become ex-Chief Minister on June 4, BJP’s IT cell head Amit Malviya on Tuesday called for a “graceful farewell to the veteran politician”.

Sharing a video of the CM addressing a rally on his X handle, Malviya wrote: “Naveen Patnaik ji has had a memorable tenure as Chief Minister. But now he is indisposed. It is however unfortunate how he is being pushed to keep up a facade. Odisha realises it. A graceful farewell to the veteran politician and BJD, in these elections, would be a befitting tribute.”

Responding to the post, Naveen, in a video message, said: “I believe that the BJP which is known to make non-issues into issues, are discussing my hands. This will certainly not work.”

On May 24, the CM had also castigated the saffron party leaders for spreading lies about his health after Shah took a jibe at the 77-year-old BJD leader and said that he should retire due to his advanced age and health issues while promising to make a young Odia-speaking ‘bhumiputra’ the CM if people of the state vote BJP into power.

“There is a limit to the lies that the BJP 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.

BJD leader V K Pandian had also 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.”

Also Read: Naveen Patnaik Trying To Impose ‘Tamil Babu’ On Odisha, People Will Never Tolerate: Amit Shah

Naveen had also dismissed claims that his campaign videos are manipulated using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and urged the BJP to “use their own intelligence” instead of making baseless allegations.