Akhilesh Yadav Meets Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar in Courtesy Visit

No alliance was announced as both leaders framed the interaction as a courtesy.

Overview

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav met BJD president and former Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik at his Bhubaneswar residence on January 16.
Yadav praised Patnaik’s long tenure and Odisha’s visible transformation under his leadership, and he presented Patnaik with a shawl as a gesture of respect.
Both leaders characterized the meeting as non-political and declined to discuss any alliance, describing it as a courtesy call.
They each posted on X about the meeting, highlighting mutual respect and a meaningful discussion without detailing any pact.
Yadav said he aims to strengthen the PDA (Pichda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) movement in Odisha and, speaking to reporters on Saturday, criticized the Ayushman Bharat model while calling for free treatment for serious illnesses in government hospitals.