NAVEEN PATNAIK’S BIOGRAPHY
Bhubaneswar: The first biography of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, penned by Editor of Outlook magazine Ruben Banerjee, was released during a function here Sunday. The book stated that Patnaik “has left no room for accusations to be levelled at him,” possibly hinting at corruption charges, adding “from time to time some of his partymen did face the music.”
The book titled ‘Naveen Patnaik’ has captured the entire political career of the party patriarch since he left the Lutyens Delhi and joined the bandwagon of politics in Odisha after the demise of his father and former Chief Minister of Odisha Biju Patnaik.
An excerpt from the book reads, “…he has left no room for accusations to be leveled at him. That he has no family or friends hanging about has immensely helped Naveen bolster his image as incorruptible. From time to time his ministerial colleagues and party legislators get embroiled in controversies. But Naveen is generally spared such accusations.”
Ruben, the veteran journalist, who has spent his journalism days in the state besides serving in other parts of the country and aboard, during the book launch said, “I’ve been keeping an eye on the developments relating to Naveen Patnaik. Before writing the book I informally consulted around dozens of bureaucrats who have worked with him. It was astounding for me to study a man who has been winning elections after elections. My book is about the political career of Naveen.”
Ruben pointed out that he has in no way indulged in character assassination and has been clinical in his approach. However, he also mentioned that in the book, he has described a few lifestyle related habits of the CM and also about how some of Naveen’s closest acquaintances got distant with time.
The book has encapsulated the political career of Naveen, from an amateur politician to a MP and ultimately the CM of the 9th largest state of the country.
In the meanwhile members from Swabhimani Odisha, a city-based socio-political organisation, protested against some of the allegedly objectionable parts in the book related to the CM.