Sambit Patra's "Slip Of Tongue" That Found A New 'Bhakt' For PM Modi
NDTV
As Odisha voted for the Lok Sabha and a new assembly in the Fifth Phase of election, Sambit Patra told reporters that the Lord Jagannath, the presiding deity of Puri, "is Modi's bhakt".
The BJP's Sambit Patra landed in a row today over a comment that hugely offended Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. As Odisha voted for the Lok Sabha and a new assembly in the Fifth Phase of election, Mr Patra told reporters that the Lord Jagannath, the presiding deity of Puri, "is Modi's bhakt". When the Chief Minister shot off an angry protest, Mr Patra issued a clarification, saying it was a "slip of tongue". Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannatha is the Lord of Universe.Calling Mahaprabhu a bhakt of another human being is an insult to the Lord. This has hurt the sentiments and demeaned the faith of crores of Jagannatha bhaktas and Odias across the world.The Lord is the greatest Symbol of…
"Lakhs of people have gathered here to see PM Modi. Jagannath is Modi's bhakt and we are all PM Modi's family. I cannot control my emotions and I think today is a momentous day for all Odias," said Mr Patra, who is the candidate from Puri.
It drew an immediate condemnation from Naveen Patnaik, who is hoping for a sixth consecutive term in the state.
Overall, the BJP has not only retained the three seats it won in 2022 but also flipped two others - Kundarki and Katehari - while also picking up a sixth from allies NISHAD Party.
Fahad Ahmed, a candidate of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction, is currently trailing Sana Malik, nominee of Ajit Pawar's NCP, by over 3,000 votes and the counting is nearing completion.
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, which includes the Shinde Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP, is en route to a thumping win in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly election, thanks to its two smaller allies.
The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader said the results are not acceptable to his party and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition.
The Adani Group said that none of its 11 public companies are implicated or accused of any wrongdoing.
The MVA had only been given a (very) slim chance of upsetting the in-power BJP-led alliance's applecart in this election; only one of 11 exit polls studied by NDTV believed it can win.
The first phase saw voting in 43 constituencies, while the second phase saw 38 seats up for grabs. Chief Minister Hemant Soren's Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), leading the ruling INDIA alliance, faces a fierce challenge from the BJP-led NDA.
Assembly Election Results 2024: Maharashtra's 288 voted Wednesday in a single phase, and an average of 11 exit polls gives the ruling Mahayuti 155 seats.
Bypoll Assembly Election Results 2024 Live: Bypolls were held on 48 assembly seats in 14 states including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and West Bengal.
During the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was honoured (in absentia) with the Dr Martin Luther King Jr Global Peace Award for Minority Upliftment.
The DMK MPs held a meeting today to discuss what they called the BJP-led Centre's betrayal of the state and its people