New Delhi: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and requested that his state be granted Special Category Status considering the destruction caused by Cyclone Fani. Speculation is also rife that the Biju Janata Dal was eyeing the post of Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker.
"I congratulated him (Mr Modi) on his electoral victory, I also requested him for Special Category Status for Odisha as we have been hit by a cyclone recently, which caused severe damage," Mr Patnaik told the media in New Delhi after meeting the PM.
The Odisha Chief Minister said that no discussions were held on the Union Budget or the Ayushman Bharat scheme during the meeting. Odisha suffered heavy destruction due to Cyclone Fani on May 3. The state government pegged the loss at `9,336.26 crore.
After meeting the Prime Minister, Mr Patnaik also met President Ram Nath Kovind.
It is believed that the BJP, which had given the post of Deputy Speaker to the AIADMK in its previous term, might consider the BJD for the position this time.
