Bhubaneswar: In ongoing verbal fights between the BJP and BJD during the election campaign in Odisha, the opposition alleged that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is fully controlled and his deepfake videos are being used to mislead public.

"Someone is controlling Naveen Babu like a puppet and using his AI-generated deepfake videos," alleged BJP's national vice-president Baijayant Panda at a press meet here today.

Briefing a joint media conference attended by Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, former union minister Pratap Sarangi, and party's national spokesperson Aparajita Sarangi at a hotel in Bhubaneswar, the senior BJP leader targeted Patnaik's close aide, who is seen with the CM at all public events.

He alleged that Patnaik's deepfake videos were being used by that particular person to mislead the public.

"People can notice the difference if they deeply analyse the CM's gestures in public meetings and video messages. Naveen Babu in most of the videos are not the same. Infact, he is not saying anything, rather his deepfake videos are being generated using Artificial Intelligence technology through the computer. He has been completely captured," Panda claimed.

He said that it will be exposed if he utters names of 30 districts on the stage in front of public by accepting the BJP's challenge.

When asked why the BJP is not lodging the complaint in this matter with the Election Commission of India, Panda clarified, "We are verifying the fact and will go to the EC with solid evidence exposing AI-generated deepfake videos of Naveen Patnaik."

Stressing his family's decades long relationship with late Biju Patnaik's family, he raised a concern for Naveen Patnaik and the present situation.

"The CM was not like that till 2018. The Odia Asmita (pride) came under threat when he was controlled by that person. Entire crisis happened during the period. Lord Jagannath's Ratna Bhandar key went missing after 2018," Panda said hitting out at the BJD government in Odisha.