Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik is an unlikely but successful politician. Now in the last year of his second consecutive term, he is expected to win a third in 2009. Usually shy of the media, he did make time for Outlook. Saba Naqvi Bhaumik met the CM at his secretariat office and residence. Excerpts:
No one thought you'd survive politics. But here you are...
You are a product of dynastic politics. How do you rate Rahul Gandhi?
The old Biju loyalists had thought they'd use you as a puppet. But you have ruthlessly reduced them to non-entities...
You also have the reputation of being a loner, solitary...
Smiles
How much do you see of your family?
Did you name the house? Or your father?
laughs
Do you get to meet your old friends?
Why do you think you have succeeded politically in such a poor state when you don't even speak Oriya properly?
In the last assembly and later local body elections, the BJD's popularity and seats went up while the BJP's came down. Will you change the seat-sharing formula with the BJP?
Your alliance partner BJP has strong views on conversion. You recently had violence against Christians...
How do you cope with the Naxalite problem?
You don't believe in excessive force as a solution to fight Maoists like some BJP leaders advocate?
The proposed Tata factory in Kalinganagar has been strongly opposed; the POSCO proposal too is controversial.
When L.K. Advani demanded that A.B. Vajpayee get the Bharat Ratna, the BJD wanted it given to Biju Patnaik though you are part of the NDA.
And Vajpayee doesn't?
Laughs
