After Prime Minister Narendra Modi raked-up Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik’s health, the latter on Wednesday countered the rumours about his health.
Earlier, the speculations about Patnaik’s health got intense as Modi raised it during a rally in the state. Modi doubted if there was any conspiracy behind Patnaik's rapidly deteriorating health.
On Tuesday, a video of BJD leader VK Pandian removing Patnaik's shaking hand from the public eye had triggered the speculations.
Countering the rumours about his health, Patnaik reportedly said all Modi had to do was to pick up the telephone and ring him up to ask about his health.
"He (Narendra Modi) said publicly before that I am his good friend. All he had to do was to pick up a telephone and ring me up and ask me about my health," Patnaik was quoted as saying.
"Let me assure the Prime Minister that I am in perfect health and I have been campaigning in the state for the last month," he added.
"My health is perfectly fine. Otherwise, I could not have campaigned amid this scorching heat," he said.
Odisha is currently undergoing elections for both assembly and Lok Sabha.
Earlier, Modi during his rallies in Mayurbhanj and Balasore, stated said there were concerns over Patnaik's health. He had termed it as “mystery” and said that his government would constitute a committee to find out the reasons behind the deterioration of Patnaik's health.
"Is there a conspiracy behind this? Is the lobby that is currently running the Patnaik government on his behalf responsible for it?" Modi had said.
