PM Modi rakes up Naveen Patnaik’s health at Odisha rally: ‘Is there any conspiracy behind it?’

The prime minister’s remarks came days after a video showed Naveen Patnaik’s hand shaking while delivering a speech at a meeting. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday raised the issue of Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s health at a poll rally in the state. Modi also promised that if the BJP formed the government in Odisha, it would constitute a committee to ascertain the reason behind the “sudden” deterioration of the health condition of Naveen Patnaik. “These days, all of Naveen Babu’s well-wishers are very worried. They are very troubled to see how Naveen Babu’s health has deteriorated so much in the past year,” Modi said while addressing a poll rally in Odisha’s Baripada. “Whenever people who have been close to Naveen Babu for years meet me, they always talk about his health. They say that Naveen Babu is now unable to do anything on his own. People who have been close to Naveen Babu for a long time believe that there could be a conspiracy behind his deteriorating health,” he added. The prime minister further sought to know whether there was “any conspiracy” behind the deteriorating health of Odisha’s chief minister. “Is it possible that the lobby, which is enjoying power in Odisha in Naveen Babu’s name, has a hand in this? It is necessary to uncover this mystery,” he said. The prime minister’s remarks came days after a video showed Patnaik’s hand shaking as he was delivering a speech. BJD leader V K Pandian, who hails from Tamil Nadu and is considered close to Patnaik, put his trembling hand away from the camera.Sharing the video on X, BJP leader and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma alleged that Pandian was “controlling even the hand movements” of the Odisha CM. “This is a deeply distressing video. Shri V K Pandian ji is even controlling the hand movements of Shri Naveen babu,” Himanta wrote. In response, Patnaik said that the BJP is known for raising “non-issues”. “This will certainly not work,” he said. The assembly and Lok Sabha polls in the coastal state are being held across four phases, from May 13 to June 1. Counting votes in the state will be held on June 4.