BJD chief Naveen Patnaik has effectively answered his detractors that he is quite physically fit to continue to run the party and the administration.
This is evident from a video doing the round on social media showing him undertaking morning walk and sweating out in a gym in his house wearing a black T-shirt and trousers.
The video seems to be an affront to Patnaik’s adversaries who, during the elections this time, have been questioning the 73-year-old leader’s fitness of body and mind. BJD circles point out that such a campaign against their boss reflects his challengers’ frustration over his everlasting popularity among the people of the State.
In fact, BJP national president Amit Shah, in course of his poll campaign in the State a couple of days ago, asked people to vote for a “young” Chief Minister. He was obviously referring to the old age and health of Patnaik, though refraining from indicating as to who is the BJP’s befitting face for the job.
And Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan virtually joined the campaign on Saturday, saying Naveen Patnaik’s “memory power” is failing him. He was trying to reply to Patnaik’s allegation of the Centre’s neglect of Odisha on several issues.