Political circles are still abuzz with the much-publicised meeting of Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik with his Tamil Nadu counterpart, J Jayalalithaa, in Chennai on Friday. The question doing the rounds is whether the ‘natural synergy’ between the two will lead to a new political alignment in the country, besides triggering an economic give-and-take between the two states.
The new display of bonding assumes significance in the backdrop of the need to find a consensus on the presidential candidate. Many believe that the coming together of the two heavyweights on the same platform could send out strong signals on the vexed NCTC issue as well. Both the chief ministers are on the same page on the issue. Besides, with the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for 2014, the meeting could pave way for a new non-UPA, non-NDA front.
Patnaik was in Chennai for the foundation stone-laying ceremony of Odisha Bhavan, to be constructed over 12,000 sqft in the city. Referring to him as ?brother?, Jayalalithaa assured all cooperation from her government on the construction.
Jayalalithaa was all smiles while presiding over the function. Recalling the emotional connect with each other, she said there was ‘a natural synergy’ between the two of them. “Bjiu Patnaik was like my father and Naveenji is like my brother,” she said.
Patnaik said there was a long- standing family friendship between him and Jayalalithaa. “Jayalalithaa was like a daughter to my late father and, hence, she is like my younger sister,” he said.
Pointing out that the Tamil Nadu government has been launching revolutionary wellfare measures, he said the state had set high standards for others to follow. “In the present system of multi-level governance, operating within a federal structure like that of India, harmonious relations with other states are indispensable,” said Jayalalithaa.
