'Even after 19 years of rule, sad that CM Naveen Patnaik can’t speak in Odia': Amit Shah

New Delhi, Apr 01: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah on Monday hit out at Naveen Patnaik during an election rally, saying that the Odisha Chief Minister had not learnt Odia even after 19 years in power.

Saying the Patnaik government had to be uprooted, Shah said throughout the country states and languages may change but the clamour for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to return was constant.

While addressing a rally in Odisha's Parlakhemundi constituency, Shah said,"Choose a Prime Minister who can speak in your language," he says taking a swipe at the Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik. "The Naveen (Patnaik) government needs to be uprooted."

In a scathing attack against the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief, Shah said,''Naveen Babu has behaved like a step-mother with West and Central Odisha. It's time to respond to that.''

"There had been only corruption and no development during last 19 years of the Naveen Patnaik government. To check on corruption you need to vote for BJP both at the centre and in Odisha...a double-engine government is needed," Shah further said.