By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, April 23, 2019: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched a scathing direct attack on Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, saying that his exit was certain and that a handful of officers will not save him.

“I want to tell Naveen ‘babu’ that you are going and it is certain. A handful of officials cannot save you,” the Prime Minister said while addressing an election rally in Barua under the Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency.

It was for the first time that Modi directly attacked Naveen Patnaik during electioneering in the state. Monday was also the last day that the Prime Minister was campaigning in Odisha.

Accusing Naveen Patnaik of staying in power with the help of a few bureaucrats, PM Modi said that the ‘double engine’ of BJP governments both in the state and at the Centre after the ongoing polls would help Odisha realize its full potential.

“I am asking every voter in Odisha to stand their ground with determination. It is a foregone conclusion that the BJD rule is ending in Odisha as BJP is coming to power here,” added the PM.

Modi also lashed out at the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government at two BJP rallies even as polling was held for the third-phase of simultaneous polls in the state.

“During the campaigning for the first and second phase of the polls, I observed all dignities. I had refrained from even criticising Naveen Babu. It was because I wanted a respectable departure for him as he has served Odisha for so many years. He should not exit with humiliation. I had kept quiet out of respect for him, and I wanted his farewell to be a nice show. But in the past 10 to 12 days, they (BJD) resorted to violence like in West Bengal and his (Patnaik’s) officers stayed blindfolded when this game was on,” said Modi in a no-holds-barred attack on the Odisha chief minister.

Patnaik, meanwhile, reiterated that Modi-led BJP will not come back again in the state.

“If BJP is so strong and popular, why has it lost in some states in recent months? In the ongoing polls, BJP is set to lose across the country. They (BJP) did great publicity for the Gujarat model, but returned to power with a small majority,” said Patnaik. He addressed several BJD rallies in the coastal Bhadrak and Balasore districts.

In the third phase of the simultaneous polls held in Odisha on Tuesday, voters exercised their franchise in six Lok Sabha and 42 assembly constituencies.