UPA's VP candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi meets BJD MPs, recalls his bond with Odisha

New Delhi: UPA's Vice presidential candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi met BJD MPs at Bhartruhari Mahtab's residence here and thanked the regional party for its support ahead of the poll scheduled for August 5.

MPs Baijayant Panda, Tathagat Satpathy, Prasanna Patasani, Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh, Anubhav Mohanty, Pratap Deb, Pinaki Mishra and others were present to meet Gandhi.

On the occasion, Gandhi thanked BJD chief Naveen Patnaik for his support. "Am happy to meet you all and appreciate Naveen Patnaik for his support for my candidature," he said after meeting the MPs.

"I had many opportunities to visit your State and every time I have been very warmly received by Naveen Babu with whose siblings I have enjoyed many years of warm friendship,", he added.

Describing his long relationship with Odisha and its leaders, Gandhi pointed out "When I was in college and university, I had close association with Odisha. The distinguished economist Prabhat Patnaik is my contemporary in college. And a very close friend of mine Jayant Das is the descendant of Utkalmani Pandit Gopabandhu Das. I have personally derived from the life and inspiration of Utkalmani and living example of that angel of all angels Ramadevi, the great Gandhian."

Earlier, BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik had announced his party’s support to the Opposition vice presidential candidate whereas it had supported NDA’s presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind.