After spending more than a month in Delhi, former Chief Minister and current Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik returned to his residence ‘Naveen Niwas’ on Friday evening. He had left for the national capital on September 7.
This marks the first time since entering politics that Patnaik has stayed outside Odisha for such an extended period. Sources indicate he travelled to Delhi for complete rest and recuperation.
With the Nuapada by-election approaching, Patnaik’s timely return from Delhi is expected to intensify the heat in state politics, according to political analysts.
Prior to this, Patnaik’s longest absence from Odisha had been 21 days. He had gone to Mumbai on June 20 for treatment of servical arthritis, underwent surgery on June 22, was discharged from the hospital on July 7, and returned to Odisha on July 12. However, he was admitted to SUM Ultimate Medicare in Bhubaneswar on August 17 due to dehydration. It took him four days to fully recover. He resumed rest before departing for Delhi on September 7, with no prior intimation to anyone about his return date.
During his stay in Delhi, Patnaik resided at his ancestral home on APJ Abdul Kalam (Aurangzeb) Road. Over the 34 days, he was spotted at a few social and cultural events, shopping for books at Khan Market, and catching up with some old friends. Notably, he steered clear of any political engagements.
As not just the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president but also the Leader of Opposition, Patnaik’s absence from the ongoing monsoon session of the Odisha Assembly and the BJD’s Padyatra has drawn criticism from political observers.
