BJP-BJD Parliament goodwill carries over to Odisha, Amit Shah hails Naveen Patnaik

In a rare show of bonhomie with the leader of a party with which the BJP is in direct competition in the state, Union Home Minister Amit Shah Saturday hailed Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik for his “popularity”, noting that he had set the record for being the longest CM of the state.

Shah is on a two-day visit to Odisha, that follows soon after the BJD voted in favour of the Modi government on the contentious NCT Bill involving Delhi in the Lok Sabha. The BJD has also pledged support to the Modi government on the Opposition’s no-confidence motion, which comes up in Parliament next week.

The Union Home Minister, who was sharing the stage with Patnaik at an official programme in Bhubaneswar, also praised the CM, whom he addressed as “Naveen Babu”, over the fall in Maoist menace in the state and his government’s efficient disaster management.