Fit Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik silences his sceptics

BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik revealed what his fitness regime looks like in a two-minute and eight-second video released on social media on Friday. The 73-year-old bachelor, dressed in the ubiquitous white, loose-fitting kurta-pyjama and chappals, is seen sporting a black T-shirt and track pants in the video.
Naveen, whose health condition has been a part of public discourse, is seen jogging in his lawns, lifting weights, doing sit-ups, stretching and working out on an exercise bike.“Getting ready to fight for the people of Odisha,” Naveen says at the end of the video.


Moments after BJD spokespersons shared the video on WhatsApp groups with the hashtag #NaveenTheJetEngine, it has gone viral. “We are ready for #OdishaElection2019 and we have the right engine for development of #Odisha,” BJD MP candidate for Kendrapada, Anubhav Mohanty, tweeted.

Analysts see the timing of the video’s release as an attempt to silence political rivals who have been questioning Naveen’s health condition. “The message is loud and clear that Naveen is fit and fine. It’s clearly a move to thwart the perception that the chief minister is not keeping well,” said Jayant Mohapatra, a retired professor of political science from Berhampur University.
Naveen’s video comes days after BJP president Amit Shah had asked people in an election rally to choose a ‘younger chief minister’, clearly hinting at Naveen’s advanced age. In power for the last 19 years, Naveen is seeking re-election for the fifth straight term and is traversing the length and breadth of the state on a specially designed hi-tech bus.
It must be mentioned that in June last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had released a fitness video of him.