- Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said he would rate Prime Minister Narendra Modi 8 out of 10 on foreign policy and various other parameters.
- Patnaik also said the BJD has always supported holding simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies
- Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s BJD has been consistent in its support of the central government led by the BJP.
- “We have cordial relationships with the centre, naturally we want the development of our state it’s important to have the centre as a partner in the development,” he said.
- On One Nation One Election, Mr Patnaik said “We always welcomed it, we are prepared for the elections for both bodies at any time.”
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his foreign policy and for rooting out the corruption in the country.
“I would give the PM eight out of 10 marks because of what he has done for foreign policy and in various other matters too,” said Patnaik. “Also, there has been less corruption in this government. He has helped in rooting out corruption and is trying his best to serve the people of our country.”
Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal has been consistent in its support to the central government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, although it ended a poll alliance with the saffron outfit ahead of the 2009 state assembly elections. The regional party has not joined the opposition INDIA bloc.
The BJD has always supported holding simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, Patnaik said, supporting the Centre’s new initiative on the matter. The Union government has established a panel led by former President Ram Nath Kovind to deliberate on the issue.
Patnaik said his government is transforming Odisha society. “Our education, our health care, our agriculture, everything is witnessing a paradigm shift on the foundation of a transformative governance. Our women feel empowered, delivering strong leadership in every part of our society. Our people are more confident of their future now than they were ever before,” said Patnaik, who has served as chief minister for over 23 years.
“We have cordial relationships with the centre, naturally we want the development of our state it’s important to have the centre as a partner in the development,” he said.
Rating Prime Minister Modi’s government ‘8 out of 10’, Mr Patnaik said, “Whatever he has done for foreign policy and also in other matters too, there has been less corruption in this government. He helped in rooting out corruption and trying his very best to serve the people of our country.”
On the passing of the Women Reservation Bill, Mr. Patnaik said, “I think it very important step, my party has always been there for the development of women, my father began it by reserving 33 per cent of the seats in the local elections, we have increased that to 50 per cent and recently in last elections we reserved 33 per cent of our seats for women in parliamentary elections.”
“Also, we have a great programme called Mission Shakti in which 7 millions of our women are involved for the empowerment of Women, economically and in other ways,” Mr Patnaik added
(With inputs from agencies)
