Confident Naveen invites Modi for swearing-in

Balasore: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and four-time Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who has always dismissed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s claim of forming Government in Odisha, today retorted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement mentioning that Naveen Babu’s time is up.

Speaking at an election rally in Basta area here, Patnaik said he want to have Modi as a ‘guest’ in his swearing-in ceremony post declaration of election results.

“The PM, during his election rally yesterday, had stated that he would visit Odisha again after dislodging BJD Government. However, with the blessings of people here, BJD has already secured majority in the Assembly after the third phase polls,” said the septuagenarian leader.

“I humbly invite him (Modi) to attend the oath-taking ceremony of BJD Government as a guest,” Patnaik stressed.

Modi, while addressing a public meeting in Kendrapara yesterday, had launched a direct attack on Naveen for the first time stating that Naveen Babu’s time is up and his exit is certain.

“The way BJD has adopted violence in the last 10-15 days and a handful of his officers have remained blindfolded, I want to tell him that Naveen Babu, your time is up now. No one can save you now, not even a handful of officers. People of Odisha are in a mood to bid you adieu with anger,” Modi had asserted.