[Watch] PM Modi Praises Odisha CM In Rajya Sabha; Know Why

Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday praised Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik for being at the forefront of reforms in mining/coal sectors in sync with the Centre’s vision

While replying to the Motion of Thanks debate in Rajya Sabha, he said that the reforms in coal mining have led to a significant increase in profits – from Rs.14,000 crore to Rs. 35,000 crore. The states have benefitted from it and Odisha has implemented these reforms to the T, he said lauding the CM for it.

However, this is not the first time that PM Modi has appreciated the efforts being put in by Odisha. In 2020, he had hailed Naveen for setting an example by registering his sister Gita Mehta’s name on Odisha’s COVID-19 website introduced by the State government for foreign returnees.

The PM tweeted, “Setting a great example, Chief Minister! I hope others also emulate Naveen Babu. We all can do our bit in preventing the spread of COVID-19.”

In 2019, Modi had lauded the Odisha Chief Minister and his government for its massive evacuation drive ahead of cyclone Fani. “Naveen babu ne bohat acha plan kiya, Bharat sarkar usmein unke saath reh karke sari cheezon ko aage badha payegi,” he told the media.

Though the BJD is the ruling party in the state, it has often been accused of having a tacit alliance with the BJP.

This has been quite evident post the 2019 elections with the BJD-BJP bonhomie consuming media space and political talk on numerous occasions. The election of IAS officer-turned-politician Ashwini Vaishnaw to Rajya Sabha in 2019 as a BJP candidate backed by the BJD amply demonstrated that the two parties do share a tacit understanding, though they are no longer allies. Vaishnaw’s debut in the Union cabinet earlier this year as Railways Minister clearly proved that his election to the Upper House was no sideshow but part of a well-calibrated strategy. From the triple talaq bill to the election of M Venkaiah Naidu as Vice President, the BJP has on various occasions banked on the BJD’s support to have a smooth sail in Parliament.