Rahul calls Naveen 'autocratic', a 'Modi version' in Odisha

Congress President Rahul Gandhi Friday termed Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik as a "version of Narendra Modi" in Odisha and branded both leaders as "autocratic" against whom his party was fighting.

"We are fighting against Modi in the national level and a Modi-version in Odisha," he said at an interactive programme here.

Gandhi drew a parallel between Modi and Patnaik and said the Gujarat model and the Odisha model of governance run on the same lines.

"But I must say one thing with respect to Mr Naveen Patnaik -- he is autocratic, he has centralised power but he is yet to become like Narendra Modi," he said.

Alleging that there is a connection between Modi and Patnaik, Gandhi said, "Mr Modi has leverage over Mr Patnaik. You know why - because of corruption cases."
He said, "Mr Naveen Patnaik supports Mr Narendra Modi throughout, whether it is GST, note-bandi, or in Parliament in different bills."
Continuing to draw parallels, Gandhi said, "The Gujarat and the Odisha model run on the same lines. Industrialists of the state fund the marketing of the CM and the CM hands over power of the state to bureaucrats. We don't want a bureaucratic dictatorship. We want a democratic state."