Bhubaneswar: Terming the life of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik a ‘strange love story,’ senior leader and media personality Soumya Ranjan Patnaik said the former Chief Minister got tremendous love and affection from the people of Odisha.
Speaking on the occasion of the launch of a new biography of the BJD supremo, Soumya said those who have seen Naveen from close quarters and others who observed him from a distance would get different impressions about him.
He said the biography, written by former Minister Panchanan Kanungo, throws light on some interesting facets of Naveen’s personality. The way Naveen used to say one thing in front of senior leaders but would do the opposite later can be described as an interesting story of a Jatra troupe, the senior leader said.
Stating that Naveen’s life can be described as a ‘strange love story,’ Soumya said in any love affair, both sides try to accept each other’s life style and habits even if these are not to their liking.
Emphasising that the people of Odisha showered a lot of love and affection on Naveen all these years, the former MP sought to know as to what they got in return. He wanted to know as to whether the former Chief Minister reciprocated to the love and affection that he received from the people.
Referring to language, Soumya said Naveen has been active in the state’s political landscape since 1998 and remained Chief Minister for 24 years. However, he never made any effort to speak Odia all these years which creates doubt in one’s mind as to whether he loves the language of the state. Naveen failed to accept Odia language as his own, he claimed.
Similarly, Naveen is always clad in kurta and pyjama and never bothered to wear a dhoti, a tradition attire of Odisha, said Soumya.
Likewise, the BJD chief appears to have little liking for the traditional food of the state, he said, adding, it is a strange love story and one wonders whether he likes the people of Odisha.
