But the Presidential election issue did not figure at the luncheon meeting held at the Poes Garden residence of Jayalalithaa, said the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.
"If we had discussed anything like that, we would have told you about it", Jayalalithaa told reporters after the brief meeting as she warmly referred to Patnaik as her "brother" while recalling that his father Biju Patnaik was a "father figure" to her.
"There was a natural synergy between myself and Biju Patnaikji.... Biju Patnaik left behind a legacy of respect, cooperation and mutual affection. This legacy is reflected in the bond that I continue to share with Naveen Patnaikji", the AIADMK supremo said.
"Biju Patnaikji was like a father figure to me and Naveen Patnaik is my brother", she said, reflecting the warmth between the two leaders who have taken common position on certain issues like opposing the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC).
In his brief remarks, Patnaik said Jayalalithaa was a "long-standing family friend".
To a question on Patnaik's suggestion that Jayalalithaa should head a sub-committee on NCTC, she said "what I think is not important. This was the suggestion made to the central government, more particularly the Ministry of Home Affairs... It is upto them to accept or reject the suggestion".
Earlier in the day, the two leaders shared the dais at a function to lay the foundation stone for Odisha Bhavan here, lavishly praising each other on their administrative capabilities. MORE
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