BHUBANESWAR: Speculation about an understanding between BJP and BJD ahead of the LS polls was rife after Naveen Patnaik’s ex-secretary-turned-BJD member V K Pandian testified Thursday to the Odisha CM’s “rapport” with PM Modi and their “tremendous respect for each other”, reports Ashok Pradhan.
“Whenever Modi and Naveen meet, they do so like two friends reconnecting after a long time.They share a commitment to cooperative federalism. They both realise that each has a mandate to work for a cause, and they respect that,” said Pandian.
The PM had addressed Patnaik as his friend at a recent event in Sambalpur. “After Modi took over as PM in 2014, Centre-state relationship improved tremendously”, Pandian, a 2000-batch IAS officer who took voluntary retirement last year to join BJD, said Thursday.
The remarks by Pandian, perceived to be the most powerful face in Odisha’s governing party after Naveen, come ahead of Lok Sabha and assembly elections, and coincide with BJP-led NDA’s expansion effort and several opposition-governed states demanding their “rightful share” of central resources as part of fiscal federalism. Speculation about an understanding between BJP and BJD has invited barbs from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who, during his Bharat Jodi Nyay Yatra in Odisha on Wednesday, accused both of running “a partnership govt” in Odisha. Naveen had warmly reciprocated Modi’s praise during the inauguration of IIM-Sambalpur’s permanent campus last week, lauding him for making India an economic powerhouse.
Although BJP is Odisha’s principal opposition party, Modi has never been critical of Naveen during his second term. In 2022, he praised Naveen in RS for being at the forefront of reforms and excellent implementation of central schemes in keeping with the spirit of cooperative federalism.
Naveen, who ran a coalition government with the BJP in Odisha from 2000 to 2009 and was a Union minister in the erstwhile Atal Bihari Vajpayee govt, has supported Modi’s govt on most contentious issues — from CAA to abrogation of J&K’s special status. Pandian said Modi and Naveen’s friendship dates back to the days when the former was Gujarat CM.
CAA to 370: BJD has backed NDA’s most contentious moves
After Modi took over as PM in 2014, Centre-state relationship improved tremendously, V K Pandian, a 2000-batch IAS officer who took voluntary retirement last year to join BJD, said Thursday.
The remarks by Pandian, perceived to be the most powerful face in Odisha’s governing party after Naveen, come ahead of Lok Sabha and assembly elections, and coincide with BJP-led NDA’s expansion effort and several opposition-governed states demanding their “rightful share” of central resources as part of fiscal federalism.
Speculation about an understanding between BJP and BJD has invited barbs from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who, during his Bharat Jodi Nyay Yatra in Odisha on Wednesday, accused both of running “a partnership govt” in Odisha.
Naveen had warmly reciprocated Modi’s praise during the inauguration of IIM-Sambalpur’s permanent campus last week, lauding him for making India an economic powerhouse.
Although BJP is Odisha’s principal opposition party, Modi has never been critical of Naveen during his second term. In 2022, he praised Naveen in Rajya Sabha for being at the forefront of reforms and excellent implementation of central schemes in keeping with the spirit of cooperative federalism.
Naveen, who ran a coalition govt with the BJP in Odisha from 2000 to 2009 and was a Union minister in the erstwhile Atal Bihari Vajpayee govt, has supported Modi’s govt on most contentious issues — from CAA to abrogation of J&K’s special status.
Pandian said Modi and Naveen’s friendship dates back to the days when the former was Gujarat CM.
“Whenever Modi and Naveen meet, they do so like two friends reconnecting after a long time.They share a commitment to cooperative federalism. They both realise that each has a mandate to work for a cause, and they respect that,” said Pandian.
The PM had addressed Patnaik as his friend at a recent event in Sambalpur. “After Modi took over as PM in 2014, Centre-state relationship improved tremendously”, Pandian, a 2000-batch IAS officer who took voluntary retirement last year to join BJD, said Thursday.
The remarks by Pandian, perceived to be the most powerful face in Odisha’s governing party after Naveen, come ahead of Lok Sabha and assembly elections, and coincide with BJP-led NDA’s expansion effort and several opposition-governed states demanding their “rightful share” of central resources as part of fiscal federalism. Speculation about an understanding between BJP and BJD has invited barbs from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who, during his Bharat Jodi Nyay Yatra in Odisha on Wednesday, accused both of running “a partnership govt” in Odisha. Naveen had warmly reciprocated Modi’s praise during the inauguration of IIM-Sambalpur’s permanent campus last week, lauding him for making India an economic powerhouse.
Although BJP is Odisha’s principal opposition party, Modi has never been critical of Naveen during his second term. In 2022, he praised Naveen in RS for being at the forefront of reforms and excellent implementation of central schemes in keeping with the spirit of cooperative federalism.
Naveen, who ran a coalition government with the BJP in Odisha from 2000 to 2009 and was a Union minister in the erstwhile Atal Bihari Vajpayee govt, has supported Modi’s govt on most contentious issues — from CAA to abrogation of J&K’s special status. Pandian said Modi and Naveen’s friendship dates back to the days when the former was Gujarat CM.
CAA to 370: BJD has backed NDA’s most contentious moves
After Modi took over as PM in 2014, Centre-state relationship improved tremendously, V K Pandian, a 2000-batch IAS officer who took voluntary retirement last year to join BJD, said Thursday.
The remarks by Pandian, perceived to be the most powerful face in Odisha’s governing party after Naveen, come ahead of Lok Sabha and assembly elections, and coincide with BJP-led NDA’s expansion effort and several opposition-governed states demanding their “rightful share” of central resources as part of fiscal federalism.
Speculation about an understanding between BJP and BJD has invited barbs from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who, during his Bharat Jodi Nyay Yatra in Odisha on Wednesday, accused both of running “a partnership govt” in Odisha.
Naveen had warmly reciprocated Modi’s praise during the inauguration of IIM-Sambalpur’s permanent campus last week, lauding him for making India an economic powerhouse.
Although BJP is Odisha’s principal opposition party, Modi has never been critical of Naveen during his second term. In 2022, he praised Naveen in Rajya Sabha for being at the forefront of reforms and excellent implementation of central schemes in keeping with the spirit of cooperative federalism.
Naveen, who ran a coalition govt with the BJP in Odisha from 2000 to 2009 and was a Union minister in the erstwhile Atal Bihari Vajpayee govt, has supported Modi’s govt on most contentious issues — from CAA to abrogation of J&K’s special status.
Pandian said Modi and Naveen’s friendship dates back to the days when the former was Gujarat CM.